2023 – ongoing
Mothers of Marmo Platano
Bedroom Stories of Motherhood in Basilicata
The Bedroom as a Sacred Space
In Mothers of Marmo Platano, the bedroom becomes more than a room—it is a sacred space of memory and identity. It is where mothers forge their legacies, embody resilience, and weave traditions. These stories invite us into the quiet power of maternal life, where vulnerability and strength coexist, and where family traditions become timeless threads linking generations.
Listen to Their Stories
Eleven mothers share their intimate stories through audio recordings. Listen to their voices as they reflect on tradition, change, and the sacred spaces of their homes.
Meet the Mothers
Assunta Colonna
Muro Lucano
A Family’s Unbroken Thread
Assunta has always centered her life around family, cherishing traditions and resilience rooted in love and kinship.
Maria Cristiano
Castelgrande
A Heart Forged by War
Maria was shaped by wartime challenges and rural poverty, finding strength in family despite changes in traditions.
Vincenza Brunetti
Ruoti
Holding Tight to Traditions
Vincenza treasures the customs of her life in Ruoti, finding comfort in preserving the traditions that bind generations together.
Filomena Galella
Baragiano
Harmony in Community
Filomena grew up enveloped by Baragiano’s close-knit community, pondering the balance between cherished traditions and contemporary living.
Antonietta Farella
Baragiano
Adapting to Change
Antonietta reflects on the simplicity of her childhood, encouraging younger generations to harmonize tradition with modern life.
Maria Salvia
Balvano
The Sacred Bedroom
Maria views the bedroom as a hallowed space preserving her family’s history, balancing reverence for the past with embracing change.
Lucia Vallario
Pescopagano
Tales from Mothers
Lucia cherishes customs handed down by the women in her family, believing women’s strength lies in adapting while staying true to themselves.
Giovanna Nardiello
Ruoti
From Tradition to Freedom
Giovanna speaks openly about her transition from a tradition-bound childhood to modern freedoms, prioritizing respect and open communication.
Maria Damiano
Ruoti
Strength Through Hardship
Maria looks back on a life shaped by labor and unbreakable family bonds, highlighting resilience and deep appreciation for family support.
Daniela Troiano
Baragiano
Chambers of Connection
Daniela sees her bedroom as a sanctuary for reflection and deep bonding with her daughters, cultivating rituals and strengthening family ties.
Maria Teresa Scaringi
Bella
A Modern Mother’s Tale
Maria Teresa seamlessly blends modernity with tradition, balancing contemporary parenting with the values of her youth.
About the Project
Mothers of Marmo Platano documents the lives of eleven women across seven municipalities in the Marmo Platano mountain region of Basilicata, Southern Italy. Through intimate audio interviews and bedroom portraits, the project explores how motherhood, tradition, and identity are shaped by place and time.
The Marmo Platano region has experienced dramatic demographic change: towns that once held thousands now count hundreds. These mothers—ranging from those born in the 1930s to the 1980s—offer a living archive of cultural transformation, capturing the transition from agrarian life to modernity while preserving the rituals and wisdom of previous generations.
Exhibitions & Press
Exhibitions
The project has been exhibited in Stuttgart (2024), Potenza, Baragiano, and Matera (2025), bringing the voices of these mothers to diverse audiences across Italy and Germany.
Press Resources
Contact
For inquiries, media requests, or collaboration opportunities:
hello@francescocarvelli.com
Credits
Project Conception and Direction
Francesco Carvelli
The Protagonists: Mothers of Marmo Platano
Assunta Colonna (Muro Lucano), Maria Cristiano (Castelgrande), Vincenza Brunetti (Ruoti), Filomena Galella (Baragiano), Antonietta Farella (Baragiano), Maria Salvia (Balvano), Lucia Vallario (Pescopagano), Giovanna Nardiello (Ruoti), Maria Damiano (Ruoti), Daniela Troiano (Baragiano), Maria Teresa Scaringi (Bella)
Research and Development Team
Research and Scientific Consultation
Luigi Caramiello (Sociology), Alberto Baldi (Anthropology), Felice Faraone (Local history, materials, event management)
Curatorial Development and Design
Eleni Pisano (Concept design and curatorial development), Francesco Vertucci (Spatial design and exhibition installation)
Production and Logistics
Catia Ricci (Organisational support, logistics, production), Nicoletta Giordano (Scouting, case studies)
Municipal Administrations of Marmo Platano
The mayors who supported and made this project possible:
Giuseppe Galizia (Mayor of Baragiano), Franco Gentilesca (Mayor of Ruoti), Leonardo Sabato (Mayor of Bella), Ezio Di Carlo (Mayor of Balvano), Giovanni Setaro (Mayor of Muro Lucano), Franco Cianci (Mayor of Castelgrande), Francesco Ambrosini (Mayor of Pescopagano)
Partner Institutions and Organizations
Regional Territorial Bodies
Municipalities of Baragiano, Ruoti, Bella, Balvano, Muro Lucano, Castelgrande, Pescopagano; GAL Percorsi – Marmo Platano; Basilicata Tourism Board (APT)
Cultural Institutions
National Library of Potenza; Polo Bibliotecario of Potenza; Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape of Basilicata; Italian Cultural Institute Stuttgart
Academic Institutions
University of Naples “Federico II”, University of Basilicata
Cultural Associations
Associazione Recupero Tradizioni Ruotesi, Associazione Lucana Stuttgart, Federation of Lucanian Associations in Germany
Contributions, Support and Collaborations
Heartfelt thanks to all the people who contributed their time, knowledge, logistical support, and trust to the realization of this project:
Alessandro Bove, Alex Rado, Angela De Leonardis, Angela Satriano, Angela Teta, Angelo Scaringi, Anna Maria Scalise, Anna Picardi, Antonella Iacovino, Antonio Brucoli, Antonio Tarantino, Arianna Latorre, Arianna Ramundo, Barbara Improta, Carola Ureta Marin, Carmela Baraglia, Caterina Salvia, Chicca Carvelli, Concetta Montano, Corrado Colosimo, Costantina Gliubizzi, Domenico Pizzichillo, Don Jose Conti, Donatella Cardone, Donato Faruolo, Emanuela Calabrese, Enza Vierno, Enzina Troiano, Ferdinando Felice Mirizzi, Fiorella Fiore, Floriana D’Aranno, Franca Colosimo, Francesca Satriano, Francesca Tortoriello, Francesco Gonnella, Francesco Marano, Gerardina Pacella, Gianfranco Lizzadro, Gina Carlucci, Gina Salinardi, Giovanni Lotano, Giovanna Musano, Giovanna Parisi, Giovanna Rinaldi, Giovanna Vallario, Giuseppe Gentilesca, Giuseppe Restuccia, Giuseppe re Sileo, Giuseppina Cristiano, Giuseppina Nardiello, Helena Carrizosa, Jasmine Bälder, Laura Flores, Lea Lotano, Lella Palermo, Letizia Maulà, Lorenzo Rispoli, Luciano Figliulo, Luciana Salinardi, Luigi Catalani, Mabel Vonk, Manuela Gliubizzi, Margherita Sarli, Marianna Catapano, Marialba Guglielmi, Mariano Lizzadro, Maria Rosaria Marcone, Maria Teresa Ricciardi, Maria Troiano, Marika Coronato, Martina Mignone, Martijn Van Beelen, Marsaye Treen, Massimiliano Cassese, Maurizio Inchingoli, Maurizio Sileo, Melina Troiano, Michele Banal, Mirco Mellinch, Nadia Berardi, Nicola Massa, Nicola Paradiso, Nicoletta Faraone, Paola Bianchi, Piera Caivano, Pierluigi Nigro, Pietro Rocco Gabriele, Pietro Sacco, Raffaele Distefano, Riccardo Satriano, Rincen Caravacci, Rocco Salvatore, Rocco Sapienza, Rocco Scavone, Rosario Parisi, Rossana Mancaniello, Rosalba Valanzano, Rossella Potenza, Sabrina Maag, Sara Lorusso, Sara Stolfi, Silvio Giordano, Stefania Carvelli, Stefano Capece, Stefano Marolda, Teresa Rado, Valentina Faraone, Vito Marcone, Il personale dell’OpenSpace APT presso il Palazzo dell’Annunziata di Matera, Il personale della Galleria Civica di Baragiano, Il personale del Polo Bibliotecario di Potenza, Il personale dell’Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Stoccarda
Exhibition Venues and Staff
Special thanks to the staff of the institutions that hosted the exhibitions:
Staff of OpenSpace APT at Palazzo dell’Annunziata, Matera; Staff of Galleria Civica di Baragiano; Staff of Polo Bibliotecario di Potenza; Staff of Italian Cultural Institute Stuttgart
Printing and Graphic Production
Christos Skendras – DM-Printhouse e.K., Stuttgart
Cristian Telesca, Noemi Venneri – PUNTO SERVICE, Potenza
Photography and Audio Interviews
© Francesco Carvelli
All photographs and audio recordings are the intellectual property of the author and are protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
A Special Thank You
To all the women who shared their stories and opened the doors of their homes.
To those who believed in this project from the beginning.
To those who made every stage of this journey possible.
This project is dedicated to the mothers of Marmo Platano and to all women who preserve the memory of inland territories.
A Note of Gratitude
Thank you for spending time with these images and stories.
Mothers of Marmo Platano is a living archive of voices, gestures, and intimate spaces, and it means a great deal to me to share it with you.
If these stories resonate with you, or if you’re curious to explore the person behind the camera, I warmly invite you to continue the conversation. Feel free to reach out, leave a thought, or simply stay connected.
You’re welcome to visit my <a href=”/about/”>About Me</a> page, a small doorway into the journey that shapes my work.
Mothers of Marmo Platano
Open Space APT, Matera (Italy)
10 Nov – 10 Dec 2025
Occasional updates on exhibitions, fieldwork, and new publications. No noise, just the essentials.
Have a cultural project, archive, or territory to explore? Get in touch or book a short call to discuss a possible collaboration.
Francesco Carvelli
Creative direction, visual anthropology & cultural strategy