This essay is part of an ongoing project which focuses on the traditional roles reserved to women in the inland villages of Sardinia, Italy, with special attention to the area of Barbagia. The island's unique heritage is still shown in women's traditional attires, which are worn on special occasions throughout the year. Tapping into my Sardinian heritage, I spent several months in Barbagia, getting to know different communities to create images from the perspective of the active observer, aiming for an “insider†angle. These portraits of women in traditional attire were taken on various occasions. Because of my documentary background, I have always wanted to put them in context - this is why I decided to photograph them in an environment that felt familiar to them rather than in a studio. This ongoing project wants to be a visual archive of those deeply Sardinian traditions and aesthetics, which have begun to give in to globalisation.
After earning a university degree in Languages and Literature, Milan-born Marina Spironetti trained as a journalist in Italy. She studied photojournalism at the London College of Communication. She launched her photographic career in 2004. Originally working as a UK correspondent for the Italian picture agency Eidon Press, she now freelances for a variety of magazines/newspapers. Recent clients include, among others: BBC Travel (UK), BBC Designed (UK), Corriere della Sera (Italy), Dove Viaggi (Italy), Internazionale (Italy), Morning Calm (South Korea), Food and Travel (UK), to name but a few.
