Poetic Failure

Anti-monumental documentation of Rome that captures the city’s micro-history. The project focuses on photographing Rome’s infrastructure failures and reframes them as a sign of the “vita” of the city. The text that goes with the photo offers poetic contexts that help the beholder to look at those failing moments in a different, hopefully more poetic and romantic perspective, embracing the constant restoration and infrastructure as the core identity of the city. This project is an anti-monumental documentation of Rome, capturing the city’s micro-histories through moments of failure. It focuses on photographing Rome’s infrastructural breakdowns and reframes them as signs of the city’s vita—its ongoing life and resilience. The accompanying texts offer poetic contexts that invite the viewer to reconsider these moments of collapse, shifting them toward a more lyrical and romantic reading. Rather than symbols of decline, constant restoration and visible infrastructure emerge as the core identity of the city: evidence of a place that is continually repairing, adapting, and remaining alive.