‘Silence Is a Gift’ by Ciro Battiloro

“Intimacy is something extraordinary—it reveals the uniqueness of every human life.
Intimacy, understood as closeness and proximity, is a form of silent and discreet resistance. It is a refuge from the passage of time, from existential crises, and from all the disintegrating forces imposed on us by contemporary society: standardisation, trivialisation, social inequalities, and violence.

I’ve been given the gift of being welcomed into the homes and lives of people. Every time I crossed the threshold of their homes, I was asked if I had eaten and how my family was doing. These questions are not merely a matter of courtesy, but tangible signs of something deeper: care for the other.

Probably only those who have experienced deep solitude can truly be with others. After all, what is photography if not a way of reckoning with one’s own solitude—and overcoming it through sharing, which becomes memory and creation?

Portraying the on a regular basis lives of individuals by being a part of it and celebrating the breadth and richness of its feelings is what pursuits me most. The surprise of the encounter is the spark from which all the pieces arises, and that surprise, deepened over time, turns into admiration for what’s alive in its most important and genuine kind.

I’ve witnessed new lives being born, kids turning into youngsters after which dad and mom themselves, and I’ve needed to say goodbye without end to some individuals. All this has jogged my memory how fragile human beings are—and but, within the gazes, faces, and caresses of the individuals I’ve photographed, I’ve discovered a energy and tenderness that give which means to our passage on this planet.