In 1966, Mario Carnicelli won first place in a national Italian photography competition that was sponsored by Popular Photography magazine and Ferrania film, the prize being a scholarship to photograph America. Carnicelli approached the country as an outsider, and yet his perspective managed to capture the essence of the American experience. He was fascinated by the freedom offered by America, with its mix of cultures and traditions, its fashion and individuality, but at the same time he was aware of a pervading loneliness and rootlessness in people separated from family and clan. 

With an eye informed by New Wave cinema, Carnicelli’s photographs are truly compelling, offering a view of the American dream that is both optimistic and contemplative.

This work was exhibited for the first time at David Hill Gallery.