Mario Carnicelli

American Voyage is a beautiful portrait of 1960s America from Italian photographer Mario Carnicelli (born 1937), recently rediscovered after 50 years, and previously unseen.

In 1966, Mario Carnicelli won first place in a national Italian photography competition sponsored by Popular Photography magazine, Mamiya and Pentax. The prize was a scholarship to photograph America. Carnicelli approached the country as an outsider, and yet his perspective managed to capture the essence of the American experience. He was fascinated by the freedom offered by America, with its mix of cultures and traditions, its fashion and individuality; at the same time he was aware of a pervading loneliness and rootlessness in people separated from family and clan. With an eye informed by French, American and Italian New Wave cinema, Carnicelli’s photographs are truly compelling, offering a view of the American dream that is both optimistic and contemplative. Curated by Bärbel Reinhard.

David Hill Gallery, London, the exhibition will be open until June 8th.