Ciro Pipoli and his unbreakable bond to Naples

3 years ago

“Ciro. Il nome che identifica un popolo” is the first photographic book by Ciro Pipoli, the Neapolitan photographer who narrates the extraordinary adventure of a young man and his city. Faces are what fascinate him the most—people and everyday gestures, captured through 159 shots. We met him during the presentation of the book in Milan, where we discussed his beginnings on Instagram and what he truly seeks in the faces of the people he photographs. Above all, we talked about what he wants to communicate about his Naples, now conquered by tourism.

Tell us about who Ciro Pipoli is and how you got into photography.

I am a 27-year-old guy from the Quartieri Spagnoli. In recent years, I have found in photography my way of portraying the most realistic aspects of Naples. I have always thought that Neapolitan reality has been filtered and narrated in a less impartial way, but never by those who probably have the opportunity to tell it on a daily basis. This passion started around the age of 16 when I downloaded Instagram. At that time, the platform’s approach was different. There was only one profile of Naples that told the city, and I felt there was a lack of an official channel that could narrate it. I started taking pictures with my phone. Then, at the age of 18, when my father gave me a camera, I became passionate about it. The rest is history.

When you take photos, what do you look for in people’s faces?

What I seek in people’s faces when I go out to shoot in the city is the ability to tell the Naples of the past. For some time now, I’ve noticed a drastic change in the city due to tourism that is changing everything. When I go out on the street to shoot, I look for authenticity that reminds me of the Naples I grew up in.

You named your first book “Ciro. Il nome che identifica un popolo”. Tell us about this choice.

It wasn’t my idea. In fact, to tell the truth, I was very reluctant to this title because I found it too self-referential. I always thought it wasn’t the right choice. This book posed challenges for me, and I only became convinced after discussing it with the people closest to me who reassured me.

What Naples do you want to portray?

I try to portray, in my own small way, the most sincere and everyday Naples possible. I see that within the city, there are small realities that deserve to be told, even though photography can sometimes be limiting because many things don’t come through. Often, I wanted to tell stories of redemption among the many that are told to me but unfortunately don’t come through in photography. In my small way, I try to make it come through anyway.