https://youtu.be/ER2WaA1r45A
2014 - Tolve - Potenza - Basilicata
“In a world running at dizzying speeds, with often incomprehensible logic, the issue of slowness forces itself upon the mind as a destination of thought and the path to follow. Going faster does not mean knowing more than what the road offers, and nobody wants to reach the end of their path sooner.”
Lamberto Maffei, Praise of Slowness
We often associate slowness with a negative connotation, an option that seems to contrast with the frantic pace of the modern world. However, it is worth exploring the intrinsic meaning of slowness, a term rooted in the ancient "lentus", the past participle of "lenire", which translates to "to give way, to make flexible, pliable". In truth, slowness does not translate to slowing down or stopping, but rather to a different motion, an art of following the natural rhythm that permeates all that exists.
Slowness as a Photographic and Exploratory Approach
In my artistic journey, slowness has become a fundamental working method. Through pinhole photography and exploring the lands of Basilicata, I understood that capturing an image is not a matter of fractions of a second, but a process of waiting, contemplation, and absolute presence. This visual philosophy is directly reflected in the project Un giro in Basilicata, where each shot represents a fragment of dilated time, an immersion in the silence of the badlands and forests of the Lucanian Apennines.
Slowness thus becomes an act of deep connection with our environment and ourselves. It is a kind of inner dance, a response to the call to embrace the natural movement that life offers. When we immerse ourselves in slowness, we grant ourselves the luxury of perceiving the world from a different perspective, savoring every moment and capturing details often overlooked in the daily rush.
An Antidote to Visual Superficiality
This conception of slowness as the ability to surrender to natural movement suggests that, rather than opposing the frenzy of the world, we can embrace a calmer rhythm where the quality of our experiences is enriched. It is an invitation to feel, see, and savor life in ways that the speed of daily life often prevents us from doing.
In this inner movement, we find a different drive, a force that encourages us to be more present, aware, and grateful for the nuances and contrasts of life. It is the art of gracefully bending to the intrinsic laws of nature, thereby allowing every moment to reveal its richness and depth. In a world that often rewards speed, slowness emerges as an invitation to dance with the rhythm of existence itself.
The entire structure of my travel journal and artistic research is built upon this paradigm and visual philosophy.
Roberto Lacava
