Abstract
The article discusses the case of the photographic book 'London by Butturini', published by the late Italian photographer Gian Butturini in 1969 and re-published in 2017 with a new preface by Martin Barr. The book has been accused of being 'utterly racist' as it includes a juxtaposition of a black woman with a gorilla of the London zoo. Butturini was a left-wing intellectual, and for this reason many in the Italian media and well known photographers have defended his memory. The article questions the missed opportunity to have an open conversation about the intertwined workings of racist discourse and visual culture. This is particularly urgent in a country such as Italy, which has only recently started to publicly discuss its colonial past and its racist imaginary.
| Translated title of the contribution | What is it that you see?: The Parr-Butturini case and the long journey of a racist imaginary |
|---|---|
| Original language | Italian |
| Type | Article |
| Media of output | Il Lavoro Culturale |
| Publisher | Il Lavoro Culturale |
| Publication status | Published - 7 Oct 2020 |