IMITATION OF LIFE

“Imitation of Life” is a project where Mattia, through self-portraits, embodies stories of people and personal experiences while diving into his narcissism. This selection comes from a larger body of work consisting of thirty self-portraits on Instant films. Experimenting with installation shoots, collages and the actual prints, the author is raising questions on identity and embracing experiences of lives he was surrounded by as physical and online presence. Keeping a casual and playful voice, the photographer imitates stories of people who lived a dangerous life, people born with disabilities, optimistic people able to look through the future, wasted lives, scared home-trapped people and people who learned to love themselves. With a strong sense of the absurd mixed with a sort of macabre and grotesque atmosphere, the artist tries, every day for 30 days, to learn about other people’s points of view dictated by their struggles and stories, leaving to the viewer the chance to judge. “Imitation of Life” was certainly created by a funny, self-loving, imitator-comedian.