Italy-Croatia: exhibition by Stefano Benazzo in Rijeka

Zagreb - Italian photographer Stefano Benazzo takes us back to relive the experiences of the worlds sailors, but also those of its emigrants and migrants, presenting a series of images of wrecks, which have been captured over decades on the coastlines of our planet. With Dei mari e dei destini (About seas and destinies), the exhibition open in Rijeka, Croatia until 8 September, the Italian artist focuses the attention on wrecks, presenting them as the poignant evidence of those who were a founding element of economic, social and maritime history, but also of their courage and suffering. Benazzos images portray a series of vessels that are being destroyed more and more by the elements with each passing day, too distant for us to see in person and impossible to transport into our museums.

His work captures and frames these for future generations. His shots encourage us to dig deep into our inner selves, and root out everything inside us that is rich and colorful. And, in the authors imagination, his relics seem anxious to leave port again, determined to complete their mission: they express a sense of hope for salvation and life. Having graduated in politics at La Sapienza University in Rome and worked for CBS News and the weekly magazine Martedì Sport at the beginning of his career, in 1974 Benazzo passed the selection process to take up a post in the Italian Foreign Ministry and was sent to some of the most important Italian embassies (Bonn 1976-1980, Moscow 1980-1983 and 1989-1993, Washington 1986-1989 and 1996- 2001). Subsequently, he became deputy diplomatic advisor to the President of the Republic of Italy, inspector of the Foreign Ministry and of its offices abroad offices and Italian ambassador for Belarus and Bulgaria.

He left the diplomatic service in 2012. His sculptural works include figurative and non-figurative pieces. He also makes models for the sailing, automotive, motorcycle, architectural and railway worlds, is a master yachtsman and chairs a yachting club on Lake Bracciano. The passion for photography which has accompanied him since his youth has driven him to complete various projects, shown from 2012 in solo and collective exhibitions in Italy, Bulgaria and Finland.