Blue Palms is the photographic project carried out by Stefano Ortega on the coast of San Benedetto del Tronto. A series of shots collected over the past few summers, with the intention of chronicling daily life on the beaches of central Italy. Ortega’s lens point of view is democratic, aiming for the obvious and capturing people as they really show themselves as they are.
San Benedetto del Tronto becomes a rich source of material, where bodies in the sun and the peculiarities of human behavior are depicted without judgment. Blue Palms in fact shows an intent that is more suggestive than decisive, highlighting the freedom but at the same time the fragility of each of us. “I am interested in observing the evolution of certain dynamics in the way we relate to each other. Only to find that many behaviors remain the same.” The Italian beach is thus the vehicle by which Ortega narrates his views on modern society.
Stephen Ortega
Stefano Ortega is an Italian-Argentinian photographer based in New York City. Always interested in exploring the cultural and emotional connections between people, he investigates social identity through the construction of a narrative that succeeds in capturing the surrounding reality. Ortega’s works often span the gap between portraiture and documentary, with images characterized by color and a visual language that is a balanced union of multiple elements. His shots move between graphic cues and casual human gestures, preferring the setting of natural settings.
The exhibition can be visited free of charge every day from Aug. 5 to Aug. 14, from 6 p.m. to midnight.