People of Italy. Photographs 1949–1968

The exhibition held at the Diocesan Museum Carlo Maria Martini by Milan celebrates the extraordinary work of Federico Garolla (Naples, 1925 – Milan, 2012), a leading figure in the Italian photography scene of the post-war period. Curated by Isabella Garolla e Uliano Lucas, the exhibition has been organised in close collaboration with Suazes and brings together a carefully curated collection of around one hundred black-and-white images that have become part of the nation’s visual memory.

The exhibition itinerary traces twenty pivotal years of collective history, bearing witness to the birth of the famous The Italian Miracle. The watchful eye of Garolla It captures the extraordinary vitality of a country in the midst of transformation, perpetually torn between loyalty to its rural roots and an unstoppable drive towards modernity. Through his unobtrusive lens, the story emerges of a people intent on rebuilding their cities and their social identity, ranging from the everyday lives of ordinary folk to the salons of high culture. The exhibition offers a unique insight into the world of Fashionof the Cinemaof the Literature and the Painting, capturing its leading figures with journalistic mastery. The author’s extensive body of work thus gives rise to a profound reflection on humanity, on the changes and on the inevitable contradictions of that unforgettable era.