In this monochromatic series, Massimiliano Greghini, an Italian photographer based in Belgium, explores a very particular subject—solitary women on the sea backdrop.
Their stationary silhouettes on the shore seem minuscule against the waves, yet sturdy and stable, almost like lighthouses. “I imagine them taking a moment of pause and self-reflection, a stark contrast with the busy life they usually lead,” says Greghini. Are they taking a break from places that they belong to, or are they visiting their rightful home?
As any visual archivist of the street life, Greghini swings from capturing the moments, the facial expressions, and human interactions to dignified and highly curated details of the urban life. Focusing mainly on striking details and decisive cuts of light and shadow, as well as impulsive, atmospheric edits dependent on the ideas that he wishes to convey, the photographer attempts to surpass his own status quo by reaching for more elevated concepts, where the internal beauty prevails.
In his monochrome series, he is successful in this endeavor, allowing the amassed technical experience and awareness to work as an add-on, prioritizing the powerful impressions and conceptualization, and de-emphasizing the appropriateness and correctness. “The black and white, alongside the grain,” he notes, “contribute to this dreamlike impression that I had of them in the moment I pushed the shutter button.”
Read our “Metamorphosis” issue in full
In the 3rd issue of RAWGUE., 24 visual artists and poets share a common pursuit: authenticity over perfection. The subtle art of becoming, the passage through various stages of artistic contemplation, the ever-shifting states of mind, feeling, and medium, or the act of altering reality to underline emotion or meaning – metamorphosis.
We’re a team of writers using our craft to spotlight art in its most honest form. RAWGUE. started as a bi-monthly editorial experiment where each issue’s theme is dictated by the submitted work, thus removing editorial bias from the equation and preserving a more raw approach. We focus on all forms of poetry: written, photographed, painted, drawn, and filmed.
