Piedmont, Italy. In 2014 the Langhe-Roero-Monferrato area – corresponding to the southern-eastern part of the Piedmont Region – was nominated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and it was listed among the world top destinations to visit in 2016 by The New York Times. A few months ago the Piedmont Region, in collaboration with Magnum Photos, organized the residency ‘Langhe Project’ directed by Alex Webb and Harry Gruyaert (Magnum Photos) with the aim of describing some distinctive aspects of this area, well known for wine production. As a photographer, I have been asked to give a personal interpretation of the places of interest and I have focused my research on the relationship between man and environment in one of the greatest wilderness areas of Italy. Living the vineyards in the background, I immersed myself in woods and little villages far away from large inhabited areas, in search of people that have a strong connection with the identity of the area and who live in very close contact with nature. The result of my research is ‘Ai Piedi del Monte’, a name that refers to the morphological character of the area, downstream of the Region mountains, and that is the literal breakdown of the name Piedmont: Pied – Mont (At the Foot – Of the Mountain). ___ CAPTIONS: •AiPiediDelMonte_001-Gianluigi Mazza has been a hunter from the age of ten. He has a perfect knowledge of all that is hidden in the woods of Viarigi, Castagnole Monferrato and Montemagno. But he respect the animals that live there and he never shoots again after the prey escapes. – Montemagno (Asti), Piedmont, Italy •AiPiediDelMonte_002-Single-barrelled shotgun. It can only shoot one load of shot at time. – Montemagno (Asti), Piedmont, Italy •AiPiediDelMonte_003-Gustavo Musso collecting wood for the winter in the wood downstream of Costigliole d’Asti. – Costigliole d’Asti (Asti), Piedmont, Italy •AiPiediDelMonte_004-Stock of wood in the wood downstream of Costigliole d’Asti. – Costigliole d’Asti (Asti), Piedmont, Italy •AiPiediDelMonte_005-Mario Bello has spent his life working in the fields and founded his family-run farm. At the age of eighty-four, he still has plenty of strength to drive the farming machines and the tractor in the fields. – Govone (Cuneo), Piedmont, Italy •AiPiediDelMonte_006-A stubble field near Pocapaglia. – Pocapaglia (Cuneo), Piedmont, Italy •AiPiediDelMonte_007-Andrijano Kokanovic arrived from Serbia in the Langhe four years ago and has been a shepherd since that time. In his herd there are thirty-four cows that he grazes in the fields around Rocchetta Tanaro. – Rocchetta Tanaro (Asti) •AiPiediDelMonte_008-A herd grazing near Rocchetta Tanaro. – Rocchetta Tanaro (Asti) •AiPiediDelMonte_009-Fabrizio Fassio and the marc obtained from pressing grapes. With this marc the Moscato d’Asti of his winery will be produced. The wine produced in Langhe, Roero and Monferrato is exported all over the world: in fact, this area of Piedmont is one of the greatest wine-producing areas of the country. – Santo Stefano Belbo (Asti), Piedmont, Italy •AiPiediDelMonte_010-The marc obtained from pressing grapes. With this marc the Moscato d’Asti will be produced. – Santo Stefano Belbo (Asti), Piedmont, Italy
