CONTENT WARNING: NUDITY

Credits: Words & photographs Lulu Withheld - Gio Blonde (authors of Wild Romagna) and other artists in the project: Marco @uomodelnord, Alexander Delgado Gonzalez @sashaintome.1, Elena Ghini @Elena_ghini_photo, Gustavo Bonino @gusbo, Lorenzo Manca @mancazzito, Tony Maccheroni @Tonymaccheroni, Cristiano Evangelisti @cristianoevangelisti

Gio:

I (Gio) together with Lulù started this project about two years ago in Romagna, during the Covid period. The strong loneliness, the desire to return to travel, the keen desire to continue to photograph and make grief and loss cathartic led us to re-discover our homeland, united more than ever through photography. Re-discovering all its beauty, sometimes rough and sometimes melancholy. Each photograph is a testimony of love, abandonment, escape & return. And we also did it through Calls, where photography enthusiasts and artists joined us with their art. Creating transformation and relationship. The last Call took place in collaboration with Lomography who gave us cameras to experiment and rolls of film, which can be seen here.

”Because photography is above all relationship, trauma and light that heals cracks.” - Gio

“We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” ― T. S. Eliot, Four Quartets

Lulù:

When we began this journey, Gio and I, we didn't know where it would lead us. She wanted to go back to her place, I wanted to discover her country. So we got in the car, with the windows down, and we let the wind mess up our hair and the saltiness would dry our skin and that this land let itself be discovered and rediscovered. We crossed places and met people. Each encounter has given us the magic of experience, the sense of wonder, a soft break from the "daily ritual”.

This year, we wanted to share part of our journey with other artists and Lomography (that supported us with their magical cameras and dreamy film rolls).
"Romagna is a state of grace”. And this our short and intense trip off the beaten path will be open to other travelers who will answer to our call. The purpose of the voyage is never the aim, never the end. Enjoy, as always, the way.

We made an appointment with other artists at the end of August in Premilcuore to enter, photographically pacified, in that persuasive Grotta Urlante.
To continue, even in the days and months to come, to other wild places of this land. (@lulu_withheld)

“We looked at the DNA of the heart among the brambles.”

LULU WITHHELD

When I was a child, my parents were like personalities in our little town. 
I grew up like an identifiable daughter, like a privilege but that wasn't me at all.

So my name: Lulu Withheld

is also the following: my desire to be invisible.

 
Withheld like a No Caller ID. 
Withheld like not exposed. Not revealed. Omitted. Concealed. Hidden. 

Me. No one.
Just pictures that I make.

GIO BLONDE

Italian // Romagna Coast. Born a warrior & free. She became Goddess of Truth in her second life. Photographer, anti-model; performances among mirrors, bodies and bathrooms, have given her rebirth and saving power.

At night each body becomes a Verb which Gio mixes with, offers herself, and transforms herself. Each relationship is a Matrix. Each photograph is Trauma. Without trauma there is no evolution. Without evolution there is no Love . She provokes the other with her temper, her progressive nude to lead her to this stage. The other can follow her or oppose her . To discovers the identity with her.

The gold splinters, which are part of her. Gio recognizes herself in every mirror of each bathroom. Of each encounter /crash : The lovers, those never seen again. Those unaware of Gio's second life. Those met by chance. But above all those who are part of her Divine Matrix.

For some years I have been working with @lulu_withheld on the Wild Romagna artistic project started in the covid period in our homeland and which has given life through our Calls to photographic and artistic meetings of exchange relationships ( and film producers @lomography )

https://www.gioblonde.it/

Curator : @wildromagna_2022 //Instagram : @gio.blondie / @blondimirror

https://open.spotify.com/show/Gioblonde