Sardinia

Abstract

The work examined the landscape of a particular region, with reference to the history, archaeology and particular topography of the island of Sardinia. Initial research revealed a culture on the fringe of the main country, Italy, and which had its own political, social and cultural history, which was reflected in the indigenous population and how they interacted with their particular landscape.

By focussing on the managed and cultivated landscape, the images revealed much more about the way of life of the people of Barbagia than easy references to their past. To reveal the way the land has been shaped, used, planted, harvested, and the intimate scale of individual images, using large format detail to reveal the minutiae of the information, was able to transmit more information about the place and the population. A strategy was found which towards the end of the work focussed on one motif, represented and revealed in a number of ways that were used as metaphors for the many ideas being expressed.

Invitation to research, photograph and exhibit in Sardinia was made at the request of the Associazione Culturale, Italia-Inghliterra, on the basis of my previous work in Wales. Sardinia has very little in the way of a history of photographic landscape representation, from the 19th century to the present. Latterly, any photographic work in the landscape has been illustrative and descriptive of the unique archaeology, or for tourism. The work in this exhibition and publication explored, almost uniquely the current topography of Sardinia as an expression of the culture, history and existence of the indigenous population. Some work from the exhibition was purchased and retained by both the Museum and the Associazione Culturale.

A catalogue was published with a statement by Pete Davis and an essay by Prof. Alistair Crawford. ISBN 1-899095-18-7