Ep. #68: How to Photograph an Island - Two Artists, One Vision with Camilla and Gabriele

Welcome to Ep. #68 of The Urbanaut Podcast, presented in collaboration with Urbanautica.com. In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with the creative duo Camilla Marrese and Gabriele Chiapparini—two artists whose collaborative work challenges conventions in photography, publishing, and storytelling. Known for their poetic book "Thinking Like an Island", the pair explore how photography can be both an act of discovery and a deeply personal narrative. About Our Guests: Camilla Marrese & Gabriele Chiapparini Camilla is a photographer, graphic designer, and visual editor at PHMuseum, known for her meticulous approach to photo book design and her narrative sensibility. Gabriele began his artistic path through music before turning to photography, bringing with him a deep sensitivity to sequencing and atmosphere. Together, they’ve formed a creative practice that blurs authorship and embraces intuition, experimentation, and deep research.Their acclaimed project "Thinking Like an Island"—shot on the remote Sicilian island of Alicudi—is a lyrical meditation on isolation, perception, and the desire to escape. The book, structured as four interlocking volumes, reflects both the physical disorientation of island life and the conceptual fragmentation of modern existence.Tune in to this episode to:- Hear the story of how Camilla and Gabriele met, merged practices, and developed their first collaborative projects.- Explore how photography and music intersect through rhythm, tone, and emotional pacing.- Discover the conceptual and logistical challenges behind their book "Thinking Like an Island".- Learn how photobooks become tactile, multi-sensory works of art.- Get an exclusive preview of their upcoming projects on climate science and militarized aesthetics. Don’t forget to: - Subscribe to our channel for deep dives into photography and visual storytelling. - Like and share this episode to support independent photographic voices. - Follow us for behind-the-scenes updates, interviews, and upcoming features.EPISODE LINKS:Camilla’s Instagram: @camillamarrese Gabriele’s Instagram: @gabrielechiappariniPHMuseum: phmuseum.comOUTLINE:0:00 - Coming Up...2:36 - Intro 4:14 - Artistic Roots and Emotional Entry Points 8:09 - First Projects and Formative Experiments 9:44 - Becoming a Duo: Morocco and Merging Visions 12:34 - Melancholy and Mutual Fascination 15:18 - Sequencing Photos Like Music 20:21 - Albums vs. Singles: Why Photobooks Matter 22:46 - Inspirations from Literature and Photography 28:51 - What Makes a Great Photobook? 35:34 - Thinking Like an Island: Utopia, Escape, and Modern Myth 41:25 - Discovering Alicudi and Island as Concept 47:21 - Designing a Disorienting Book Structure 54:13 - Shooting in All Directions: Techniques and Tools 1:01:17 - Themes of Hiding, Camouflage, and Elusive Truths1:03:09 - Layering Voices: Diaries and Islander Quotes 1:07:37 - Living on the Island: Terrain, Limitations, Time 1:14:01 - What the Island Taught Us About Reality 1:16:57 - Ethics of Representation and Local Reception 1:19:49 - Imagining an Exhibition of “The Island” 1:21:18 - Sneak Peek: Climate and Military-Inspired Projects 1:27:23 - Science as Ritual and Intimate Uncertainty 1:29:51 - Collaborating as a Duo: Contrast and TrustSOCIAL: Twitter: /UrbanautPodcast Facebook: /TheUrbanautPodcast Instagram: /TheUrbanautPodcast Support on Patreon: /TheUrbanautPodcastTAGS: #TheUrbanautPodcast #CamillaMarrese #GabrieleChiapparini #TheIsland #PhotobookDesign #PhotographyPodcast #ContemporaryPhotography #Alicudi #VisualNarrative #ClimateArt #CollaborativeArt #PhotobookLove #Urbanautica #SteveBisson #PatrickLeeHubbard