Portugal as depicted in Michele Palazzi’s Finisterrae it’s a never seen one, if such a thing is still possible in photography.

Never seen because mysterious, distant from a classic iconography made of borderline exotic and touristic clichés, and mysterious because one of the most provocative characteristics of photograpy — as opposed to its more obvious and inherent unveiling quality — is that of concealing. And this is especially true for documentary photography, even if (but, today, even more precisely because) its main scope is that of telling a story.

No doubt about the thrutfulness of the “events”, but the way Palazzi conveys them — non–narrative, elliptic, elusive — is the most personal and seductive: it’s through such visions as the ones in Finisterrae that the power of contemporary documentary photography bursts out, since interpreting doesn’t mean making out and concealing doesn’t mean mistyfying.

In perfect harmony with the shady yet lush beauty of the images, the book that eventually collects them is both minimal and lavish, which makes leafing through its pages a full sensorial experience where sight is just one of the elements involved.

Designed by Valentino Barachini e Chiara Capodici, produced and released in just 200 copies by Leporello and Origini Edizioni, it comes also in a numbered and signed Collector Folder that, besides four unedited photographs, includes a serigraphy print.

Timeless reflection on the communal origins ot the Old Continent through decontextualised subjects and still landscapes, Finisterrae is the first chapter in series about Mediterranean Europe countries that Palazzi will pursue in the near future.