The journalist finally decided to publish materials about the Sicilian mafia
The famous Italian photographer Letizia Battaglia has been photographing the rich and dangerous life of the Sicilian capital Palermo since 1971 during the famous anti-mafia war. For many years she worked as a photojournalist for the now-defunct L'Ora, but she abandoned everything when the newspaper closed.
Now at the age of 81, Laetitia is ready to share the stunning archive in her new book of over 300 pages of photographs from her hometown.
(Total 12 photos)
“In the 70s there was a fierce war of the mafia against civil society. It was associated with a terrible number of victims, blood, pain and tears. Today mafiosi are more insidious and less violent. They no longer kill judges, politicians or police officers. But the mafia is still interested in power,” Letizia says in an interview.
“And now that they've achieved that, they don't have to kill people anymore. It is enough to help ensure that those candidates who take care of their interests are elected to the authorities.”
“I photographed with passion. I wanted to capture everything I felt while acting as a kind of witness against the mafia."
“I was constantly dealing with crime in Palermo for 19 years, so my style somehow became quite specific in itself.”
“Of course, the mafia appeared in Sicily, but now it has its own interests everywhere. With the help of a developed network of drug trafficking, the mafia influences what happens in Northern Italy, and in the rest of Europe too.
"It's more dangerous than before, because the mafia has been able to infiltrate political and financial circles, but they operate with the same barbaric methods as the drug traffickers."
“I endured so much, I even had to flee from Palermo several times. But I always came back. I wanted to remind everyone that there is still something beautiful here under this sky. I am always looking for beauty and I try to show it in my photographs.”
Keywords: Archive | Italy | Mafia | Sicily | Black and white photography