Daniele Vita

Bagnanti

Catania is a city with a high percentage of people affected by poverty and social exclusion, most of whom live in the impoverished Quatteri neighborhoods. Real life starts early, schooling rate is very low, children are forced to grow up quickly and they very often engage in illegal activities such as theft or drug dealing to support their mothers and younger siblings because the father was “attaccato” (arrested). In the wealthier social contexts they are called “Mammoriani”. The term comes from the expression “mammoriri mo mà” (should my mother die), used as a form of oath, that helps to understand the deep bond with the most sacred member of the family: the mother. The family is the primary social unit, with very clear rules and roles to be respected in regard to the choices of one’s life, in an indissoluble bond of devotion and respect. This type of “respect” coincides with a mafia culture that is still very widespread today. The first steps into the society, begin with criminal activities as children, later alternating their existences between prison and freedom. In the summer, many kids from the most deprived neighborhoods of Catania spend the days on the cliffs in San Giovanni Licuti, at La Testa del Leone and at the Basketball Court. The photographer followed a group of 10 children aged 11 to 15, an important and crucial age, where they try many new things for the first time, such as their first kisses, the discovery of sex, the first cigarettes or joints. Many of these kids already have a troubled past or are experiencing their present in a way that doesn’t reflect their young age at all. He portrayed them among the rocks, while he could glimpse things as they were in their childhood; he loved depicting them with simplicity during some moments of lightheartedness lived in freedom. After 56 days of Lockdown these boys recovered their freedom.

A group of boys from Catania climbs up the rock known as The Head of the Lion. The summer of 2020 was a special season for young people. In Italy the lockdown lasted 56 days. Now, these guys can finally enjoy the pleasures of being together again with their peers. Following May 18 (the first day of the so-called phase 2), the city cliffs have been crowded with many young people, all sharing a great passion for the sea and a great desire to make up for the three months of confinement at home.

Paolo places his hand on Melo’s shoulder, while Riccardo and Turi look thoughtful in the background. On July 16, Melo, a 14-year- old boy from the working-class area of Librino, received bad news. Due to the events that occurred when he was 8 and 11 years old, starting from the following Monday he would have been put into temporary custody with a foster family. This is Melo’s last day of freedom and the summer on the rocks has ended early. The boys are sad, their friend will no longer be with them starting from tomorrow.

Agatino, an 11-year-old boy from the San Cristoforo neighborhood, holds an unlit cigarette in his mouth. His summer was marked by first loves, first cigarettes, the first marijuana joints and lots of diving. Agatino is one of the few who dives from the basketball court, from a height of 30 meters.

Elena kisses her boyfriend Mirko on the rocks of San Giovanni Li Cuti. Theirs was the first love born in the group. They spent the whole summer kissing each other, stopping only when Mirko was diving.The two broke up at the end of the summer. Many children around the age of 14 of the popular neighborhoods in the city of Catania do the “fuitina”. They run away from their respective families and take refuge somewhere to discover love and the girls often get pregnant. So the boy makes a proposal that cannot be refused by the families.

Turi, holding a toy gun, shoots at a carnival game while Riccardo points to the targets. Turi is a 14-year-old boy from the Nesima neighborhood, a very smart boy despite his young age. Every now and then, on occasions like the end of the year or for special events, he is given a real gun by his father. He has good aim and deep respect for his family, and the tattoo on his arm is a testament to that. The sacredness of the family in the popular districts of Catania is very important. Young people often drop out of school in order to support the family, as the father is often imprisoned. Turi himself, when he was born, could not see his father, because he was in prison. His father was only 15 when Turi was born.

Agatino prepares to dive from the wall of the Timba in San Giovanni Li Cuti. After the 56-day lockdown, the energy of the young boys was very high. In Italy there was a social distancing rule of 1 meter. The boys, however, ignored it, as physical and social contact were a priority for them.

Agostino plays with his friends in the equipped area of the basketball court. Agostino is 13 years old and he is the older brother of Agatino. They are from the San Cristoforo neighborhood. When he grows up, Agostino would like to become a hairdresser, an almost impossible dream for a boy who has already dropped out of compulsory school and lives by his wits to support his mother and his younger brother.

Turi and a friend of his pose for a photo while Paolo kisses his girlfriend Valeria at the war memorial. Every Saturday the boys take a break from the sea, they meet in the afternoon at the war memorial, go to the amusement park and spend the evening together.

Agostino and Nadia pass each other a cigarette like a kiss. Nadia is a girl from the Librino neighborhood, she is very beautiful and disputed among the boys on the rocks. Agostino was able to court her and after a few days from the taking of this photo the two got together. Immediately after they both ran away from home for a romantic getaway. They were found in the street after a few days. The two were on drugs and were taken to the hospital, having perhaps smoked crack. Agostino and Nadia had sex, but luckily the girl did not get pregnant. The two broke up soon after.

Carla and her friend watch Mimmo dive from the Piazzetta.

Agatino and Mirko are preparing to dive at the basketball court, from a height of more than 30 meters. Every year the rocks are crowded with very young people. There are many divers, but very few of those jump from the basketball court. The two teenagers were considered the two new heroes of Catania in 2020.

A group of girls dancing in San Giovanni Li Cuti.

Agostino smokes marijuana at the port of Ognina. The boys wanted to illegally enter a private villa with a pool to swim there together. Music and cigarettes however distracted them from their objective.

The boys all together at the Timba in San Giovanni Li Cuti.

A portrait of Nunzio.

Corrado lights Mirko a cigarette, while Agostino climbs a public lighting pole. Shortly thereafter, he will be sent down by the policemen that guard the Piazzetta in San Giovanni Li Cuti every day.

Agostino, Turi and Valerio walk to the war memorial. They are listening to their idol, Skinny, a young rapper from Catania who sings about the drama and real life of the kids living in the neighbourhoods.

Carla at The Head of The Lion rock.

The whole group of adolescents from San Giovanni Li Cuti.

The group of bathers go back home after a day at the beach.

Catania, Italy

www.danielevita.com

Daniele Vita was born in Viterbo, Italy, in 1975.

He studied anthropology since 1995 and starts photographing.

2003-06 He documented the theater in Italian prisons, for two consecutive years he was a finalist at the Hystrio Eyes award.

2005 He has documented the daily life of migrants for the municipality of Rome, the work was exhibited at the Santa Rita of Rome. In 2007 the exhibition was hosted in San Pietro Scheraggio to the Uffizi of Florence for the Alinari.

In 2008 he won the Award of Tuscany Photo Festival with his fable moral work. In 2009 he is a finalist at the Kiwanis award, Portfolio Italia and exhibits at the Cifa in Bibbiena, he won the South East prize and exhibits at the International Festival of Rome.

In 2011 he exhibits at MIA, Milan Image Art Fair The wonderful world of Harryson Circus and was a finalist at the Unicef Poy award with Cojimies, a work that gave him the scholarship G. Tedde the following year.

n 2014 he won the Castelnuovo Prize Photography with # 0 borders, landscaped project of the island of Lampedusa.

2015 he exhibits Ruins in Rome, the strength of the ruins at Palazzo Altemps.

In 2017 he participated in the Feeling Home at the Milan Steam Factory. In 2018 Med Photo Fest, exposing the Suleymaniye Otopark opera, Syrian refugees in Istanbul, a work published in the extreme human book by the green room.

In 2019 he won the prize We believe in your eyes with the Holy Week in Sicily and publishes the book with the Fiaf. He won the 1801 passage-mavi award and received a mention of honor at Unicef Poy 2019. In 2020 he is a finalist at the Italian Street photo. In addition, in 2020 he receives a honorable mention at Unicef Poy 2020. In 2020 he is a finalist in Portfolio Italia.

In 2019 and 2020 he was admitted to the final rounds of the World Press Photo.

In 2021 he won the World Report Award documenting Humanity future generations section at Festival della fotografia etica.

Also in 2021 it is sent to exhibit at Head On Photo Festival.