Matilde Gattoni: Her

Throughout her career spanning 15 years, 35 countries and 4 continents, photographer Matilde Gattoni has had the unique opportunity to encounter thousands of women from all corners of the world, from explorers in Dubai to war refugees in Kenya, Eritrea and Lebanon, from cluster bomb victims in Laos to tsunami survivors in Indonesia, from victims of domestic violence to land grabbing evictees. Despite their very different backgrounds and cultures, Matilde managed to build a strong connection with all of them by witnessing the life-changing events they experienced and the impact it had on their existence.

As disparate as their stories might seem, all of the women Matilde has portrayed share an innate capacity of resilience and courage, no matter what difficulties they had to face. Although shunned and marginalized in many countries, they are often the hidden backbone of families and communities. This exhibition is a tribute to their bravery and capacity to deal with apparently insurmountable challenges, be they war, natural calamity, or the prejudices that exist within their own society.  HER is an ode to all of these women.