STEFANO CERIO

Stefano Cerio: Exploring the Theater of Absence Through Photography

Italian photographer Stefano Cerio, born in 1962, lives and works between Rome and Paris. He began his career at the age of 18, photographing for the Italian weekly L’Espresso. During the initial phase of his career, Cerio created portraits for fashion magazines and newspapers.

In 2001, Cerio’s work took a significant turn as he adopted an explorative approach to photography. He began to focus on landscapes and architecture, using skillfully treated colors to create a theater of absence. This approach highlights the inaccessibility of certain subjects: holiday resorts and leisure spots that we merely pass through. Cerio delves into the collective unconscious representations we share about these places, juxtaposing our expectations with reality. As a result, his images blend the fantasized with the remembered.

The uncanny quality of Cerio’s work arises from his themes and distinctive shooting techniques. He employs a large-format camera to achieve a rich array of tones, using its capabilities to create a sense of unreality through the depth of shades. This setup requires meticulous planning and preparation, allowing Cerio to produce photographs that intrigue and puzzle the viewer.

Explore the evocative and thought-provoking photography of Stefano Cerio on IGWT, where his images challenge our perceptions and invite us into a surreal world of absence and presence.

Stefano CERIO, Huairou, series: Chinese Fun, 2015.

Stefano Cerio: Landscape Photographer of the Uncanny

Stefano Cerio masterfully captures the uncanny through his landscape photography. Derealization in his work manifests in multiple ways. For instance, in the series Night Ski (2012) and Night Games (2017), he photographs nighttime scenes illuminated by spotlights, creating a surreal effect where light highlights and defines chimerical objects. Winter Aquapark (2012) and Chinese Fun (2015) emphasize the contrast between expansive spaces and vertical heights. The desolate nature of these locations hints at the crowds that sometimes fill them, making their emptiness even more striking. Cruise Ship (2014) straddles both approaches, with some photos in the series incorporating an effect of abundance that enhances the sense of emptiness.

These series are unified by the absence of flashy viewpoints. By kneading the ordinary, Cerio reveals the uncanniness inherent in his subjects. To grasp the subtle enigma within his work, we invite you to explore Stefano Cerio’s photo series.

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