Be Her Voice – 16 September, 2022, was the one year anniversary of the death of Iranian student Mahsa Amini. The two photos presented here on GoSee.News were shot by Matteo BERTOLIO c/o VISUALEYES ARTISTS and were on display at an exhibition in Milan. Giving cause to the exhibition are the horrific conditions that continue to exist in Iran. Women are increasingly exposed to repressive measures in the Islamic republic.
Jina Masha Amini was brutally murdered in police custody – the reason for her arrest : She allegedly violated the country’s headscarf law. This was followed by nationwide protests. The regime reacted with a vicious crackdown, and thousands of Iranian women were arrested and are still being put into prison as a consequence.
The first name Jina means ‘life’, a word etymologically related to the Kurdish words for ‘woman’ (Jin) and ‘freedom’ (Jiyan) with which it shares a common root. Echoing this is he originally Kurdish, then Pan-Iranian chant of protest ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ (Kurdish ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’).
On the first anniversary commemorating the violent death of Jina Amini, on 16 September 2023, heavily armed Iranian security forces deterred a planned memorial ceremony. Her father, Amdschad Amini, was temporarily detained upon leaving his home in Saqqez according to human rights organizations. And the Iran Wire website, operated by political opponents in exile, says he was later released and put under house arrest while the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps blocked the entrance to the cemetery of Saqqez.
GoSee : visualeyes-artists.com
The jewelry label 11X was founded in Milan in 2018 by Visualeyes photographers Matteo Bertolio and Raffaella Palmieri. Their journey began with the idea to bring their unique vision of beauty to life – raw, natural and deeply meaningful – with an exquisite blend of ancestral simplicity and avant-garde futurism.
11X was born – “A symbiotic harmony between 11, representing the ‘Strength’ card of the major arcana, and X, the Latin symbol for ten, symbolizing the perfection of a new beginning. This fusion manifested as an imaginative binary code, symbolizing the non-binary evolution of humanity.” Matteo Bertolio.
Born in Milan, Matteo Bertolio completed his studies at NYU and returned to Italy to work in the world of professional photography since 1995. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with the world’s most renowned brands, such as Ferragamo, Versace, Ann Demeulemeester, as well as Mercedes-Benz, Fiat Lancia, and Oris. He has also produced multiple covers for fashion magazines, including L’Officiel, Tank, Elle, and Vogue.
“He is the communicative soul and image of 11X, consistently interpreting a dreamlike world guided by nature with his erotic vision of the human being.” Visualeyes Artists, Zurich.
GoSee : 11xartworks.com & visualeyes-artists.com
COAST Magazine features ARMANI’s latest collection – photos by Matteo BERTOLIO c/o VISUALEYES ARTISTS.
The concept behind this artistic endeavor by Matteo BERTOLIO c/o VISUALEYES ARTISTS revolves around drawing attention to the detrimental impact of plastic pollution on our planet and its oceans.
In collaboration with Carolina Mazzolari, an artist and performer based in London, Matteo drew inspiration from the iconic statue of the CRISTO VELATO located within the Chapel San Severo in Naples. This juxtaposition allowed them to explore a profound transformation, symbolizing the shift from the enduring beauty of marble to the ubiquity of plastic pollution. This transformation is embodied in our creation, referred to as ‘Polyurethane Woman Crist,’ a representation that bridges the realm of the sacred Mother of the sea while allowing viewers to embrace their individual interpretations without the imposition of a predefined title.
Their work was showcased on the occasion of Plastic Free Day in Italy in March 2023, gaining visibility across various social media platforms and events. It serves as a visual testament to the stark contrast between the everlasting nature of marble and the enduring persistence of plastic pollution within our waterways, underscoring the urgent need for environmental awareness and action.
GoSee : visualeyes-artists.com