Photobook Mania 09 / Davide Degano presents Romanzo Meticcio

About the event

The ninth appointment of Photobook Mania will take place on 17 April 2025 at PhMuseum Lab, with photographer Davide Degano presenting Romanzo Meticcio, published by Artphilein Editions.

How can contemporary Italian identity be defined? Romanzo Meticcio examines the post-colonial condition of Italy as a fundamental element of contemporary life in the Bel Paese.

In Davide Degano’s research, the prefix “post” takes on a progressive historical value. The project establishes a link between the present, the colonial past, and the intranational and international waves of migration, inviting a critical attitude towards the imperialist and fascist legacies of the past and a careful analysis of their impact on contemporary society.

The narrative created by the Italian state since its unification is based on the identification of places and people considered marginal. The suburbs, the south, minorities, second-generation Italians and the question of fascist ideology have not been openly addressed and discussed in an open public debate.

The process of erasing colonial history has permeated Italian culture since the Second World War. Romanzo Meticcio aims to bring this past to light. It creates new imaginaries and cultural scenarios for the future by questioning Italian identity at its core.

This project was selected by Artphilein Editions to be awarded with the publication of this photobook as a special prize within the Liquida Photofestival 2024 contest.

Some copies of the book will be available to be purchased and signed by the author.

Bio

Davide Degano (b. 1990) is an Italian photographer whose work focuses on socialdocumentary. His practice is rooted in research-driven projects that explore themes of history, cultural identity, and collective memory. Using photography as an analytical tool, Degano examines the legacies of the past and their influence on contemporary society.

for the Paul Schuitema Award. He is currently pursuing an MA in Visual Arts at KASK, Royal Academy of Arts in Ghent, and in 2024, he was awarded the MasterMind scholarship by the Flemish Government in support of his studies. His work has been featured in numerous national and international group and solo exhibitions and has appeared in publications such as PhotoVogue, Urbanautica, British Journal of Photography, It’s Nice That, Icon Magazine, Der Greif, and Camera Austria.

Born in Sicily and raised in Friuli, Italy, Degano’s upbringing in the Mediterranean and Alpine landscapes has significantly shaped his artistic perspective. His multicultural background informs his storytelling, with a focus on long-term, multidisciplinary projects that incorporate portraiture, landscapes, environmental details, archival material, and video documentation.

Degano published his first photobook, Sclavanie, with Penisola Edizioni in collaboration with the Urbanautica Institute. In 2023, he was selected for Giovane Fotografia Italiana and won the Discovery Award at Encontros Da Imagem in Portugal. In 2024, he received the Liquida Grant and a publishing contract with the Swiss publisher Artphilein for his second photobook, Romanzo Meticcio.

Admission to the event is free. For more information, write to us at info@phmuseumlab.com.