Italians of auckland
Curatorial text accompanying the exhibition Francesca Brugnoli: Italians of Auckland
Split in two. That’s what we—or at least I—see when looking in the mirror. Torn between two identities, two sets of traditions, two ways of living, two languages, two selves.
Italy and Aotearoa New Zealand sit almost at opposite poles of the Earth, with over 18,000 kilometres between them. Yet they coexist closely in the hearts of a small group of people who decided to move to the other side of the world: the Italian community. Italian-born, first, second, or even third-generation Italians whose parents or grandparents once took a leap of faith and set sail for the unknown—whether a hundred years ago or just a few months, and for all sorts of reasons.
Italians are a nomadic people. We have been for decades, if not centuries. Think of how many “Little Italys” exist across the world, how many Italian restaurants, art galleries, or businesses. Italians, and Italian creativity, are everywhere. “I’m from Venice.” “Rome.” “Milan.” “Florence.” “Sicily.” “Naples.” I bet every one of us giggles with pride when introducing ourselves, our pepehas. As much as we are eager to adapt to new contexts, we cling tightly to our roots, our traditions, our culture. We hold them so fiercely, almost jealously. Are we afraid to lose them?
This whole set of contrasting feelings—hope, pride, fear—is what we see in that half of the mirror, and what Francesca Brugnoli captures through her portraits. Italians of Auckland is not just an exhibition but an ongoing research project, delving deeply into its subjects’ feelings toward identity and belonging. Look at their smiles, their gestures, their poses, and then at that sparkle in their eyes: a melancholic longing for what was left behind, and a hopeful excitement for the new life we are building in this diverse, beautiful country we now call home. There it is, that’s our half.
Giulia Pianelli
