Sanità by Ciro Battiloro, started in 2015, explores Naples’ Rione Sanità, a district where rich cultural heritage intersects with long-standing social marginalization. Set against the backdrop of a neighborhood shaped by centuries of architectural, political, and social transformation, Sanità examines the enduring consequences of urban isolation and economic neglect.
Historically a noble residential quarter, the area became increasingly cut off from the city with the construction of a bridge in the early 1800s, reinforcing its marginal status. During Battiloro’s photographic work, Rione Sanità was one of Europe’s most densely populated and economically challenged urban zones, burdened by unemployment, school dropout, and organized crime. Yet it remains a place of strong community identity and cultural richness.
Within this context, Battiloro addresses broad themes such as the human condition, resilience, and the dynamics of intimacy and love. His photographs reflect a commitment to depicting not just hardship but the emotional and relational core of daily life. Drawing from philosophy and his own Neapolitan roots, Battiloro uses Rione Sanità as a lens to question how people live, relate, and endure amid systemic neglect.
The compositions emphasize proximity and bodily presence, often shaped by the intimate, dark interiors of ground-level homes known as vasci. Lighting shifts between soft natural light and deep shadows, reflecting both the physical environment and the emotional tone of the work. The street and home merge, creating a fluid space where gestures, glances, and moments unfold organically.
Technically, Battiloro employs a rangefinder film camera to encourage slowness and presence. Instead of staging scenes, he focuses on forming genuine bonds with the subjects, allowing the truth of their everyday lives to emerge naturally in his images.
Through ongoing engagement, Sanità has also earned key distinctions: Winner of the 2023 Foto Forum Santa Fe Photography Award, a Jurors’ Pick in the 2022 LensCulture Black & White Awards, and finalist nods for the Gomma Black & White Award (2023) and the Meitar Award for Excellence in Photography (2020). Its consolidation in the 2024 monograph Silence is a Gift further extended the project’s international reach.
