Contrapasso

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jul 1

In Contrapasso, Italian photographer Massimiliano Corteselli examines the mythological and archetypal dimensions of man-made wildfires in the Mediterranean. Drawing on Dante Alighieri's concept of divine retribution, the project weaves together photography, folklore, and symbolism to reflect on greed, vengeance, and humanity's relationship with the land, creating a visual narrative that shifts between documentary, myth, and social critique.

Photography Massimiliano Corteselli

„Thus in me is observed the law of counter-penalty.“

(XXVIII, 142) The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

In my work Contrapasso, I explore the mythological and archetypal motifs underlying the man-made wildfires in the Mediterranean region.

In Inferno, the first part of The Divine Comedy, Dante sets out on a journey through Hell with the Roman poet Virgil, meeting deceased people from the history books as well as people he knew personally. These individuals suffer eternal punishment through a process either resembling or contrasting with the sin they committed. This punishment is known as contrapasso.

Within this analogy lies a form of social critique that examines the complex dynamics behind these fires: greed, envy, vengeance, and hatred. With this work, I aim to encourage reflection on the consequences of our actions and to draw attention to how they can trigger a cyclical chain of causality.

“With this work, I aim to encourage reflection on the consequences of our actions and to draw attention to how they can trigger a cyclical chain of causality.”

Massimiliano Corteselli

Photography can be seen as a modern form of mythology, inviting reflection on human experience, emotions, and values. It encourages contemplation of existence and social contexts, presenting an aesthetic that shifts between dream and reality, contemporary and historical events.

For Contrapasso, I approached photography as if writing a mythological tale, embedding symbolism drawn from religious and folkloric traditions.

About Massimiliano

Massimiliano Corteselli was born in 1994 in Tivoli, a small town near Rome. In 2023, he completed his studies at the Ostkreuz School of Photography in Berlin. His project Contrapasso received a working grant from the VG Bild-Kunst / Kulturwerk Foundation in 2022. In 2024, he was awarded the Gute Aussichten – Junge Deutsche Fotografie 2023/24 award and featured at several photography festivals, including Fotofestiwal Łódź, Fotografia Europea (GFI award) in Reggio Emilia, and Les Boutographies in Montpellier.

To see more of his work, visit his website or follow him on Instagram

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In Contrapasso, Italian photographer Massimiliano Corteselli examines the mythological and archetypal dimensions of man-made wildfires in the Mediterranean. Drawing on Dante Alighieri's concept of divine retribution, the project weaves together photography, folklore, and symbolism to reflect on greed, vengeance, and humanity's relationship with the land, creating a visual narrative that shifts between documentary, myth, and social critique.

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Contrapasso

„Thus in me is observed the law of counter-penalty.“

“With this work, I aim to encourage reflection on the consequences of our actions and to draw attention to how they can trigger a cyclical chain of causality.”

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