Walking the Streets of Spoleto, Italy

By Katie LaMaster

Spoleto fans looking to experience some of the festival’s namesake town need only go as far as the Gibbes Museum of Art this summer. Interruptions, an exhibition by world-renowned photographer, JoAnn Verburg, documents the architecture and residents of Spoleto, Italy. The exhibition aims to connect the historic cities of Charleston and Spoleto through “an emphasis on the intersection of past and present” said Gibbes Executive Director Angela D. Mack in a media release.

Although the idea of past and present intersecting is relevant for both cities, the emphasis on the intersection is very subtle in Verburg’s photographs. Each reminder of present-day life among the historic architecture creates visually interesting photographs, but does not stand out as a focus of the exhibition. Scenes of winding streets and brick moldings are quietly interrupted by hints of modernity. A surveillance camera sits above an old window, cranes peek out from behind old buildings and wires span across narrow pathways. While these little aspects of present day life contrast with the architecture, the effect is subtle enough that I wouldn’t consider the emphasis of the exhibition to be the intersection of past and present.

Verburg even seems to contradict this intersection through her depiction of not only architecture, but also people. Rather than incorporate the faces of Spoleto’s residents in the scenes of the city’s historic architecture, Verburg has separated them. The small, intimate portraits serve as a nice contrast to the large, architectural prints, but take away from the idea of an intersection between past and present. One could argue that the people represent the present while the architecture represents the past, but where then is the intersection of the two if they are displayed in separate photographs?

Despite the confusion of the present interrupting, intersecting and separating from the past, Verburg’s photographs show off Spoleto’s architecture in a way that advertises the city to the viewer. Verburg plays with focus in each photograph, leaving much of the scene blurred and drawing attention to areas that are in-focus. The narrow passageways leading back behind slightly blurred buildings and off the edges of the photograph create a sense of mystery. Visitors will leave not only an admiration of the city, but with a desire to explore more of Spoleto’s historic center.

The exhibition is open now until August 22, 2010.

Gibbes Museum of Art

135 Meeting St.

Charleston, SC 29401