Pietro Paolini

The Two Halves

exhibition
The series "The two Halves" explores the daily life of the country in an extremely delicate moment for the democratic future of the Venezuelan society. A moment of transition, the end of a deep and radical political experience that has indelibly marked the history of the country in its positive aspects and negative ones. The uncertainty, the fragility of an identity that will become fully developed only by passing the strongest division in the Venezuelan people.

Since the death of President Hugo Chavez, Venezuela is experiencing a period of great tension, more and more divided into two blocks, pro-Chavez and opposition.  An identity that for years was divided into completely opposite visions of the world and of his own country. It’s in this moment, when the contradictions of chavism explode in the hands of the new President Maduro, that the country lives in the balance between its possible futures. The series “The two Halves” explores the daily life of the country in an extremely delicate moment for the democratic future of the Venezuelan society. A moment of transition, the end of a deep and radical political experience that has indelibly marked the history of the country in its positive aspects and negative ones. The uncertainty, the fragility of an identity that will become fully developed only by passing the strongest division in the Venezuelan people.

A view of Caracas, capital of Venezuela.
Clashes between the student movements of opposition and the National Guard near the Central University.
First year aniversary of the death of Chavez. President Maduro partecipating to the cerimony at the Chavez mausoleum, located in the bidonville "24 de enero".
Some workers on the roof of a contruction site in Caracas. The building is part of the program "Mission Vivienda" to give houses to the poorest part of the population.
A sunday afternoon in the East Park in Caracas.
First year aniversary of the death of Chavez in the barrio 23 de enero.
Fishermen coming back from the work session at the sun rise in Punta Cardon. In the background the biggest oil refinery of Venezuela.
Nuevo Circo, a school of circus and street cultures biuld in the old bullfight arena.
Guys playing bowls in the comunity Felipe Acosta in the outskirts of Caracas.
The National Guard waiting for a demostration of opposition students.
In the park "The old Venezuela" in Merida. In this turistic park in presented the history and tradition of the country.
A boat on the Orinoco river along the border with Colombia, here the smuggling is widespread mainly with gasoline and food.
The experimental school of police, born with the gouvernment of Chavez. The school is based on the idea that violence is the last recourse, the student are prepared also in sociology and psicology.
Some people waiting for a bus in the Pico de L'aguila.
A man with his selfmade car in the desert of Coro.
A plyground on a building next to the bidonville Baruta.
One of the furnaces to cook their production of bricks in a factory of Carora.
A view of a popular building in Caracas.
A family in their house a in a poor neighborhood of Puerto Ayacucho.
The gouvernment Tv presenter waiting for the live during the cerimony of one year after the death of Chavez.
The entrance of a farmer house in Carora.
People waiting a boat after a day on the beach in the Isla de la Plata.
People in a new building of Mission Vivienda in the bidonville of Catia. Mission vivienda is a gouvernment program to give house to the poorest people of the country.
The street that pass trought the Pico de l'aguila, one of the highest montain near Merida.

Rome, MAXXI, 2014