The theme SuperNatural, conceived by Irene Alison, is a reflection on multiple aspects of contemporary living in the dialectic between man, nature and technology. From the research on the natural landscape to the investigation of a possible post-human transformation, a series of scenarios is presented here, towards which the artistic research of the photographers Luca Locatelli, Charlotte Dumas, Matthieu Gafsou, Piero Percoco, Hayley Eichenbaum, Maria Lax and Petrina Hicks is directed.

The volume includes the complete collection of works exhibited in the cycle of exhibitions hosted by the Rifugio Digitale, a place where technology and art meet, and held between October 2022 and July 2023. The space saw the alternation of the seven authors with photographs and videos that, although firmly rooted in reality, arouse the wonder of science fiction. On the screens of Rifugio, the images become windows onto other worlds in which hope is given concrete form, inviting the viewer to take a critical awareness and make a change of pace in search of a new balance.

Irene Alison was born in Naples in 1977. She is creative director of the photographic project and consulting studio, DER*LAB, and teaches at the European Design Institute (IED) in Rome, in addition to collaborating as a tutor and consultant with some of the most important Italian schools of photography (Isfci, Rufa, Scuola Romana di Fotografia in Rome and Fondazione Studio Marangoni in Florence, among others). As an editor, she has worked for the Manifesto and D, La Repubblica delle Donne. As a freelance journalist, she has produced, with other photographers, a number of reports published in Geo France, The Independent, l’Espresso, D, XL, Marie Claire and Riders. Her articles of photographic criticism have been published by newspapers like La Lettura, Corriere della Sera, Il Sole 24 ORE and Pagina99. She has published two essays of photographic research, My generation (Postcart, 2012) and iRevolution (Postcart, 2014) and, in 2022, the American publisher Yoffy Press printed “Holding Time”, a book written with the photographer Catherine Panebianco, for which Irene authored the texts. In 2022 Postcart has published her essay, Muse col Muso (Muses with Muzzles, imaginary animals in contemporary photography).

Paolo Cagnacci was born in Florence in 1971. He studies photography at the Studio Marangoni Foundation, where he currently teachers portrait photography and lighting techniques. He has also taught at the European Design Institute of Florence. His pictures have been published in magazines like: D la Repubblica, Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, La Stampa, Sette, SportWeek, L’Espresso, Pagina99, Specchio, Lei, Donna Moderna, Famiglia Cristiana, Corriere della Sera-La Lettura. He has produced photographic and video projects for the Region of Tuscany, the Festival of Creativity, the People’s Festival, Balkan Observatory, the Michelucci Foundation, Tempo Reale, Unicoop Firenze, the City of Florence, Telecom Foundation, Mibact, CNA. He has worked for companies like: Diesel, Patrizia Pepe, Paula Cademartori, Peuterey, Starbucks, Stefanel, Ottodame, Dmail, Rinascimento. He has worked for the Massimo Sestini Agency. His work is distributed by the Luz Photo Agency of Milano.