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Alex Pardi
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Tangenziale is the inner city highway in Milan. Thousands of people travel on this road every day. Looking ahead. The end in view. Tempo, tempo.
Many times Alex Pardi went to the Tangenziale and photographed. On the street, under bridges, in the terrain vague around it. A piece of Tangenziale is in every picture. But actually that´s not the point here. Alex Pardi was there when no one else was around. In the dim light, the haze and the early morning mist. He has not photographed the street or the construction, but a feeling. Namely the feeling that time stands still, just for you, for a moment, that may expand forever and change your life, because it´s so damn real, awakens a million instincts and provides clarity. You are, alone, but in the world.
Giorgio Gaber has once dedicated his song "L´illogica allegria" to this feeling. The text written by Sandro Luporini now accompanies Alex Pardi´s pictures in this book: "alone / traveling the highway / in the first light of dawn ..."
An excerpt from the series was on display at the "Forum für Fotografie" in Cologne last October, where the anniversary of my publishing house was celebrated with an exhibition titled "Peperoni Photobooks / A Decade of Publishing". As the key visual for the exhibition I chose an image of Alex Pardi. A wide road that leads into a misty nowhere. Without those moments I talked about, I would have long since lost my way.
Hannes Wanderer
The full text of my speech for the book launch at Book City 2015 in Milan is available here (only in italian).