From 12 October to 19 November 2017, the third Biennale Foto/Industria took place in Bologna, Italy. The MAST Foundation in cooperation with the Municipality of Bologna and local cultural institutions like museums and exhibition spaces, as well as the University of Bologna and other foundations initiated the event.
In 2013, the Foto/Industria was organised for the first time, in parallel with the opening of the multifunctional centre of the MAST Foundation. Focussing on art, technology and innovation, the Foundation wants to be a link between business and community. Isabella Seràgnoli – entrepreneur, philanthropy and president of the to the Foundation associated Coesia Group – imagines besides entrepreneurial responsibility as well a place open to the city, like she states in the foreword of this year’s catalogue. In this sense, 13 of the 14 Biennale exhibitions were situated in the historical centre of the town and only one in the MAST. Directed by François Hébel – former director of the photograph festival Rencontres d’Arles and other international photo events – there were globally known artists presented, aiming the working world and referring in particular to identity and illusion.
The exhibitions of Alexander Rodchenko, Lee Friedlander and Mimmo Jodice showed working people in different times and with a different artistic view. Josef Koudelka’s photos illustrate impressively the impact of industrialisation on our landscapes.
Read more:
Foto/Industria: views on labour and industrial development
Alexander Rodchenko – The industrial World
Mimmo Jodice – The militant Years
Josef Koudelka – Industrial Landscapes
During more than a month time of the third Foto/Industria in Bologna, there were ten other exhibitions on view:
Mathieu Bernard-Reymond (Transform)
Michele Borzoni (Workforce)
Mitch Epstein (The Making of Lynch)
Joan Fontcuberta (Sputnik: the Odissey of Soyuz II)
Vincent Fournier (Past forward)
Marten Lange (Machina & Mechanism)
John Myers (The End of Manufacturing)
Carlo Valsecchi (Developing the future)
Yukichi Watabe (Stakeout Diary)
Thomas Ruff (Machine & Energy) (ongoing until 14 January 2018 at the MAST.)