The Living Veins of Palermo

Join Marina, a photographer and writer, for a photographic walk through the historic markets of Ballarò and Il Capo in Palermo. Ballarò is the oldest of Palermo's markets, its origins trace back over a thousand years to the city's Arab period, in the Albergheria district. Il Capo took form in the nearby Seralcadio quarter during that same era and it still preserves its authenticity. Ballarò is the louder of the two; Il Capo a tighter labyrinth. Both remain full of daily life: narrow lanes, crowded stalls, vendors calling out their prices in the sing-song chants known as abbanniate, and residents moving through their daily routines. Walking together, you will observe voices, gestures, colors, scents, encounters, pausing wherever a scene or a detail of light calls for a photograph, guided through the practice of seeing the city closely with someone who shops here every day. This is an invitation to slow down, observe, and let yourself be surprised, experiencing Palermo from within.

Many visitors come to know Palermo through its monuments and its churches. This experience takes a different path, moving through the pulsing, everyday heart of the city, found in its historic markets. Il Capo and Ballarò are places where centuries of history coexist with the present. Arab influences, Norman heritage, popular traditions, and contemporary life intertwine here in a unique human mosaic. The markets never stay the same: the light transforms through the day, voices chase one another, and scenes of life appear and disappear within moments. Markets are also the hardest place in a city to photograph people. Vendors have seen a thousand tourists raise a camera. Marina lives here, does her own shopping in these same stalls, and knows the vendors, which changes the way you as a visitor can approach people. If photography means looking with greater attention, doubling the gaze, here this is even more true.

Marina Mongiovì is a photographer and writer based in Palermo. Her photographic work focuses on street photography. Her images have been exhibited at the Palermo's Centro Internazionale di Fotografia, as part of group exhibitions curated by renowned photojournalist Letizia Battaglia. She has exhibited in Rome as a finalist in an international open call organized by Roma Fotografia, and has held two solo exhibitions in Catania. Photography and writing run alongside each other in her work. In 2022 she published Storie del Castello di Trezza, a photographic retelling of Giovanni Verga, and in 2023 her first collection of short stories, Sciara. Her stories have appeared in several Italian literary magazines.

Comfortable shoes. A camera or smartphone. During the summer months, light clothing and a bottle of water. This experience is suitable for photography enthusiasts, beginners, and travelers interested in local culture.