The mark of time: lines as a heritage
By Giuseppe Nicola Parretta – Mayor of Badolato
The lines on the faces of our grandparents and parents tell the story of a generation that suffered and sacrificed greatly. Pino has captured them with mastery and dedication, giving us moving photographs that celebrate those who fought to give us a better future.
Unfortunately, many children of that generation were forced to build their lives far from their native village. This exodus left a void and a deafening silence within those folds of skin where, as children, we used to play while listening to our grandparents’ stories.
For some years now, this silence has been partially broken by foreign languages. Although we try to fill this absence through various initiatives, the void left by those lines will remain forever. Thanks to Pino, we can remember our youth, echoing the great Anna Magnani: “Leave me all my lines, don’t take even one away. It took me a lifetime to earn them.”
A village is needed: Identity among the alleys
By Elisabetta Longo – Director of Mabos
To reach Upper Badolato, one must travel a winding road through olive groves and maritime pines. This journey prepares the eye for the history of man, marked by useful efforts, errors, and faith. Suddenly the village appears, freed from the weight of daily life yet firmly held by its ancient stone walls.
In the Calabrian hinterland, the scenery resembles a “placid apocalypse.” Depopulation leaves emotional scars, as the present seems to dissolve into mere statistics of loss. However, in these vacant spaces, life resists, telling stories of wandering and inexhaustible beauty. Every day, we fight the risk that our sense of belonging might vanish without clear visual references.
Pino Codispoti’s photography embraces this pain and transforms it into a tool for memory. His images look beyond temporary limits to fix visions destined to fade. His subjects are human landscapes—symbolic figures who represent an entire generation that is now facing extinction.
In this context, black and white is not just a stylistic choice, but a guarantee of depth. The “Ruga” (the lines/the street) becomes a metaphor for a path: it is both the physical place of social life and the personal history of every individual. These photos reveal a profound trust, a gift from the past that defines our truest identity.
Furrows of memory and Inner landscapes
By Ilaria Donati – Archaeologist
Lines are like furrows traced by a farmer, footprints of those who pass through or stay in a place. They represent an immense legacy contained in a single mark on a face or on land scorched by the wind. They draw both an inner and outer landscape that only a few can translate into stories.
Time does not destroy; it imprints readable signs. Children know this instinctively: they often caress their grandparents’ faces, trying to follow those paths while waiting for a story. Pino’s research is like that child’s finger moving patiently across a grandmother’s skin.
His images resonate with ancient sounds: footsteps on the pavement, the rustling of reeds, the rosary whispered in the silence of a church. This balance leads us back to our roots, especially when we are far away. Memory remains the only treasure worth preserving for future generations.
Lines, memories of a generation
By Pino Codispoti
We are talking about those born in the first half of the twentieth century, survivors of wars and natural disasters. This generation saw their loved ones emigrate to the coast or to distant Australia. They are the guardians of collective memory and the bond that keeps our roots alive.
For years, I photographed these people among the “lines” (alleys) of the village, seeking the wisdom they hold. I used to sit on their doorsteps; their smiles would smooth the furrows of their faces as they told stories of lived experience.
Today, those doors are closed and the voices have faded. However, I owe my deep connection to this land to that generation. They made me a citizen of the world with a strong, rooted identity. Through my photographs, I honor their legacy, preserving the essence of our community for the future.
