ALTITUDINI – Italian Routes by Fabiano Ventura / Albanian Skylines by Fation Plaku is an exhibition recently opened at the Harabel Exhibition Space. This exhibition has a division of ten mountain groups of which: Monte Bianco, Monte Rosa, Adamello and the Dolomites belong to the Italian territories, while the Himalayas, Alaska, the Andes, the Karakorum and the Caucasus are part of the World Mountains, concluding with a space dedicated to the mountains of Albania by Fation Plaku. This exhibition, curated by Fabiano Ventura, was an initiative of the Italian Institute of Culture, organized by HARABEL Contemporary Platform, which will be open to visitors from December 19 to January 20, 2023.
In the Tracks of Glaciers is a photographic and scientific project that combines photographic comparison and scientific research, with the aim of disseminating information on the effects of climate change, observing changes in glacial masses over the last 150 years. In 10 years, with 6 expeditions to the most important mountain glaciers of the Earth (Karakorum 2009, Caucasus 2011, Alaska 2013, Andes 2016, Himalaya 2018, Alps 2020), the project aims to support the original studies and realize new photographs from the same observation point, and at the same time of year, as those taken by photographer-explorers in the late 800s and early 900s.
The purpose of this exhibition is to communicate to an international audience, the great Italian tradition related to mountain culture and mountaineering, as an instrument of recognition of the mountain territory, whose values are carried by the environment, the importance of environmental awareness in the practices of access to natural habitats and the attention that Italy pays to the protection of ecosystems.
The Italian Mountains (Montagne Italiane), exhibited on the first floor, reflect an ideal journey that explores the Alps from west to east, passing the massifs of Monte Blanco, Monte Rosa e Cervino and Adamello, to then move to the eastern area to reach the Dolomites. Each of the four mountain groups is represented by large-format photographs that highlight evocative aspects of the landscape, as well as historical and contemporary images that focus on the evolution of ice masses, highlighting the effects of climate change on the mountainous landscape. Each group is accompanied by a presentation panel, which illustrates its geographical, historical and geo-glaciological characteristics, to which is added the proposal of a visiting itinerary.
The second section, A View of the World, continues on the first floor by extending the perspective to the most important mountain ranges of the Earth, highlighting the continuity of mountaineering culture on a global level. Beauty, awareness, the respect for the environment are the main themes that mountain culture has developed starting from the Alps, to extend them over the years to world explorations. Retracing the stages of the project In the Tracks of Glaciers the following mountains are exhibited: Karakorum 2009, Caucasus 2011, Alaska 2013, Andes 2016, Himalaya 2018, in which this section provides a representative image of each mountain range, accompanied by two photographic comparisons on the variations of glacial masses.
In conclusion, a space is dedicated to the mountains of Albania photographed by the photographer and climber Fation Plaku. The displayed photographs were taken within the framework of Mëmëdheu (Homeland) – Albania’s hidden gems project, for which he published two albums with photographs of the most beautiful natural landscapes, such as: Jezerca’s Peak (2694 m), Kendrevica’s Peak (2121 m), Mount Çika (2045 m), Mount Korab (2764 m), Mount Nemërçka (2482 m), Mount Gjallica (2489 m), Mount Lunxheria (2155 m) .
This project represents the largest existing archive of comparative photography on changes in glacial masses, conceived and realized by photographer Fabiano Ventura in collaboration with a technical-creative staff and supported by an International Scientific Committee.
Fabiano Ventura is a landscaper specializing in environmental issues. He has participated in numerous international scientific, photographic and alpine expeditions. Since 2007, Fabiano Ventura created and directs the project In the Tracks of Glaciers. The sensitivity to the growing problem of climate change has made him focus a large part of his activity on spreading knowledge about this phenomenon to the public. With a team of researchers, photographers and filmmakers, since 2007, he has been involved in documenting the phenomenon of the retreat of the largest glaciers in the world and shares the results of his work through the realization of exhibitions, conferences, educational programs, installations and documentaries.
Fation Plaku was born on December 9, 1975 in Tirana, Albania. He has been practicing his passion for nature and mountain climbing for many years, and in the meantime he has developed hobbies related to nature, such as mountaineering, extreme sports, exploration and photography. As a member of the Everest 2012 team, he made the highest ascent of the planet, Everest 8848m, on May 25, 2012, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the declaration of Albania’s Independence, which he reflected in a photo exhibition.
As part of the 7 Summits of Seven Continents movement, he has climbed Aconcagua 6962m in Argentina, Elbrus 5642m in Russia and Kilimanjaro 5895m in Tanzania. The passion for photography has pushed Fation to create a very rich photo library about Albanian nature and Kosovo.