Roberto Schena isn’t a man who likes to rush things, especially travel. No 150mph autobahns for this photographer. In fact, it took Schena three years to cover a 13 kilometre stretch of road for his latest collection SP 67, La Strada Della Tramontana Scura, named after a provincial Italian road. A section of the route is the subject of his pictures and translates, somewhat forebodingly, as The Road of the Dark North Wind.
That eerie name couldn’t be more apt. There’s a definite menace to Schena’s images, developed through natural filters of mist and drizzle, capturing the impending violence of approaching storms and trapping frightened animals in the headlights of his flash. This is a photographic exploration of his native Genoa in treacherous conditions, and Schena’s meticulous – even painstaking – collection forms a volume released by Punctum, which is bookended by two short stories by Paolo Caredda.
The book also includes a map for anyone intrepid enough to retrace Schena’s footsteps into the harsh and mysterious world surrounding SP 67. Think we’ll stay in the car though, thanks.
