"That mixture of natural and man-made things is seen by humans as different objects, whereas in reality both categories belong to planet Earth and are part of the same system of relationships." (Eugenio Turri, Il paesaggio degli uomini)
In the gallery of faces below, Eugenio Turri invites us to appreciate human diversity as reflected in the wonderful variety of the world, through photographs of women and men immersed in ever-changing environments and landscapes.
In one of these images (the 16th in the gallery), a man seen from behind observes the work of a caterpillar tractor with his bicycle in his hand, an alienating contrast that recalls the disasters of 'atopia'. An imprisoned, homogeneous and standardised nature produces a poor and lost humanity. According to the Veronese geographer, the “death of geography” consists precisely in the eradication of biodiversity and cultural diversity: two closely related threats that must be opposed by building our own living environment according to nature's own suggestions.
Most of the photographs, however, depict the satisfied faces of people in relation to the places of their daily lives. Many of these images focus on the professions of the characters who inhabit them, highlighting the efforts or small details that characterise their daily work. Others are simple portraits, which do not forget more or less obvious connections with nature. The old man in the first photo in the gallery, for example, would certainly be more anonymous if he did not have that white flower on his hat. The smile of the Turkish girl (5th photo from the beginning) stands out precisely because it contrasts with the arid background, which is the landscape she belongs to. Turri's gaze, therefore, while ready to warn of the dangers humanity faces by neglecting its responsibilities to preserve a biodiverse world, is full of trust in the inhabitants of the Earth.