Travels

Among the many recurring interests that connect the rich and open-ended oeuvre of Luigi Ghirri, a fascination with travel resonates through his photographs, publications, and writings. This book by curator James Lingwood charts a course through Ghirri's photography between 1970 and 1991, exploring the manifold ways in which journeys – journeys – appear: in iconic landscapes in the Dolomites and the lakes of northern Italy; in the mirror-worlds of seaside resorts along the Adriatic and Mediterranean; among museums, archaeological sites, and theme parks; inside atlases and on postcards; and along his own bookshelves, with their evocative titles and mementoes. This vividly curated book maps a route through Ghirri's work that takes in familiar landmarks and surprising detours, interleaving many of his best loved photographs with unseen discoveries from the Ghirri archive.

Luigi Ghirri: Viaggi introduces an essential artist of the late twentieth century through one of his most enduring and beloved themes, delving into Ghirri's uniquely playful and profound conception of image-making in an age of popular photography and tourism. It is completed by in-depth essays by Tobia Bezzola, James Lingwood, and Maria Antonella Pelizzari, which locate Ghirri's work in relation to Italian and international contexts and the wider world of image-making and consumption with which he enthusiastically engaged.

Co-published with MASI Lugano, this book accompanies the exhibition 'Luigi Ghirri: Viaggi. Photographs 1970–1991' at Museo d'arte della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, 8 September 2024–26 January 2025.

Among the many recurring interests that characterize Luigi Ghirri’s vast and varied oeuvre, a fascination with travel stands out, clearly evident in his photographs, publications, and writings. This book, edited by James Lingwood, explores Ghirri’s photography from 1970 to 1991, analyzing the different ways in which the theme of travel manifests itself: in the iconic landscapes of the Dolomites and the lakes of Northern Italy; in the mirror worlds of the Adriatic and Mediterranean seaside resorts; in museums, archaeological sites, and theme parks; in atlases and on postcards; and on the shelves of his bookshelves, filled with evocative titles and souvenirs. Meticulously curated, the volume traces a path through Ghirri’s oeuvre that touches on familiar landmarks and unexpected detours, integrating many of his most celebrated photographs with unpublished discoveries from the Ghirri archive.

Luigi Ghirri. Viaggi presents an emblematic artist of the late twentieth century through one of his most enduring and beloved themes, uniquely exploring Ghirri’s playful and profound conception of image-making in an age of popular photography and tourism. The book is enriched by in-depth essays by Tobia Bezzola, James Lingwood, and Maria Antonella Pelizzari, who place Ghirri’s work in the Italian and international context and in the broader panorama of image production and consumption, to which the artist devoted himself with passion.

Co-published in collaboration with MASI Lugano, the book accompanies the exhibition “Luigi Ghirri. Travels. Photographs 1970–1991”, Museo d'arte della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, 8 September 2024 – 26 January 2025.

OTA-bound buckram flexicover with tipped-in image 21.5 x 25 cm, 184 pages

ISBN 978-1-915743-61-9 (English Edition)