My name is Giovanni

When we hear discussions about disability we often associate the word with something that doesn’t have a remedy, that may get better but not heal. In our society, especially as portrayed in mass media, the perfection of the body is promoted; sometimes the overall visibilty of people and their appearance is even idealized and admired. The body is seen as something that is malleable: when a “piece” doesn’t work, we can change it. In regards to the body and the physical perfections that we strive to achieve, the disabled are often left behind because of their inabilities rather then their abilities. We can say that they are not or are rarely portrayed in mass media/commercial culture, there’s a void.
The theatre of disability, the Social Theatre, is able to tap into a precise meaning that we all need to see. If the disability within our society is made not visible, not present in our lives, this kind of theatre tries to do the opposite, to make it visible.
Within my photographs, I strive to give sight and visual relevance to the experiences that these people have and are currently examining within the theatre. I focused particularly on the story of Giovanni Pandolfini, that I followed from 2004 to 2007, who is a disabled actor of “Isole Comprese Teatro” company from Florence.

Simone Donati

My name is Giovanni

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