Ramonika, Valentina Iaccarino and Pietro Peressutti

Ramonika is a photographic journey through the enchanting Natisone valleys, a project that speaks of borderlands and centuries-old traditions, entering the intimate depths of this strip of land in Friuli Venezia Giulia bordering Slovenia. In 2023, the Photo dummy won the Bastianelli award for the best self-produced work.

The title of the project, Ramonika, comes from the word ‘accordion’ in the Benecian dialect, and is the fruit of the joint imagination of photographers Valentina Iaccarino and Pietro Peressutti, who have been frequent visitors to this area for more than a decade. 

The images in the volume, enriched by a text by Federico Galvani, broken over several pages so that it would become part of the work, proceed with a cadenced rhythm, a metaphor for the breath of the accordion that captures the essence of life on the border. The atmosphere is delicate, poetic and conveys a sense of anticipation and discovery. 

The reading path moves through landscapes and people, revealing not only the character of the region and its charisma but also the authors’ artistic vision and impressions. This work is a portrait of a community that proudly preserves its traditions and folklore. An immersion in the places of the margin that still vibrate in harmony with the landscape. 

Texts by Federico Galvani. Editing and design by Giulia Iacolutti.