Book Review: “Gli Isolani” by Alys Tomlinson
Maschere a Gattu, Sarule, Sardinia © Alys Tomlinson (courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art)
Alys Tomlinson is a British commercial and fine-art photographer, represented by HackelBury Fine Art, who has gained international recognition for her breathtaking images portraying the beauty and fragility of our world. Her new photobook, Gli Isolani (The Islanders), published in November 2022 by GOST Books, showcases her talent for documenting the essence of people and their surroundings. Gli Isolani, which means "The Islanders" in Italian, is a collection of photographs taken during Tomlinson's visits to the remote islands off the coast of Sicily and Sardinia. Over a period of two years, Tomlinson documented the traditional costumes and masks worn during festivals and celebrations on the islands of the Venetian lagoon, Sicily and Sardinia while also highlighting the island’s rugged terrain, volcanic landscapes, and stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Working with a large format 5x4 camera and black and white film, the photographs in the book are a testament to Tomlinson's skill in capturing the heart of a place within the context of its culture. The portraits of the islanders are particularly striking, capturing the unique character of each individual while maintaining a veil of timelessness that invokes a sense of intrigue. Set against crumbling stones and rural fields, the Islanders proudly display their elaborate and uncanny costumes and masks worn for Holy Week, and other events, often inspired by pagan rituals and beliefs. Strategically placed within the book are also landscapes of the region. The stark beauty of the rugged coastlines and volcanic landscapes displayed in perfectly gradated black-and-white convert a sense of isolation and ruggedness that tap into the nature of the island. However, the book is not just a collection of photographs; it is also a glimpse into the daily lives of the islanders. Though their customs are generations old, their current environmental reality shines through each portrait, providing a grounding subtext to the otherworldly imagery. This affinity between past and present allows the images to invoke deeper ponderings about the relationship between man and the environment, the sacred and the profane, and good and evil.
Il Diavolo, Prizzi, Sicily © Alys Tomlinson (Courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)
La Donna ‘Faldetta Cupaltata’, Tempio Pausania, Sardinia © Alys Tomlinson (Courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)
Created with respect and sensitivity, Tomlinson's project began with extensive research into the literature, poetry, and history of the islands of Italy, exploring tradition, identity, ancient myths, folklore, and fairy tales. This research informed her photographs and allowed her to document the unique character of the islands and their people. What’s more interesting to discover is that a portion of the men and women photographed were actually younger community members. Alys shared with us, “A lot of the men in their early 20s would turn up in their designer loungewear, and I would think to myself ‘would they really be interested in retaining these traditions or dressing up in sheep skin and bells?’” The answer was a surprising yes.
She continued, “That was the thing I came away with, that they're unbelievably proud of their heritage, of their culture. And one of them actually said to me 'tradition is in our blood. That's who we are.’” The younger members of the island, as well as Tomlinson, seem to share the desire to step into another world full of mystery and intrigue that transports them to another era where time collapses around them. The openness of the Islanders combined with the heart of Tomlinson allowed for this refreshing angle that makes the work’s substance shine through as an honest exploration of understanding and reverence of another culture.
Su Sonaggiau, Ortueri, Sardinia, 2021 © Alys Tomlinson (Courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)
Piana degli Albanesi, Sicily © Alys Tomlinson (Courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)
Printed over 112 pages, and enclosed within a clothbound hardback foil cover, the 51 images included are masterfully displayed. My first reaction to opening the book was literally “wow!,” the images are so crisp. I felt like I was there in person. However, as I kept coming back to the book, it wasn’t the images themselves that kept me engaged, but its strategically formulated sequencing. There is a certain gravitational undercurrent that draws you into and onto each page that allows seemingly subconscious elements to bridge all of the images together into a book that “just makes sense." It’s rare that I don’t put a photo book down, wishing there was a little more or a little less, but Gli Isolani is the perfect example of “complete.” I asked Tomlinson about this and she said, “The idea was that it takes you on this kind of journey. You come out of the village and then you go up to the mountains and then you come back through the fields around the village. The landscapes serve as breathers between the portraits to give you space to digest each before you continue on your journey.”
In conclusion, Alys Tomlinson's Gli Isolani is a remarkable work of art that speaks to the power of photography to recreate the essence of a place and its people. Tomlinson's photographs reveal a deep understanding of the human condition and the fragility and complexity of our world. The thing I drew most from was the harsh reality of life on the islands, from the abandoned houses to the ruined buildings. Though the book doesn’t go into the economics of the region, it’s important to note that though many young people remain, a lot are moving to the mainland or larger cities due to poor job prospects from the changing of traditional industry. What is remarkable is that the Islands haven’t lost their imagination, creativity, or heritage. Her project is a reminder that even in the harshest environments, there is beauty to be found, and that it is up to us to explore it through the lens of our own experiences.
Issohadore, Mamoiada, Sardinia © Alys Tomlinson (Courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)
Sos Merdules, Ottana, Sardinia, 2021 © Alys Tomlinson (Courtesy of HackelBury Fine Art, London)
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Alys Tomlinson was born in 1975 and grew up in Brighton, UK. After a degree in English Literature, she went on to study photography at Central Saint Martins followed by an MA (Distinction) in Anthropology at SOAS, University of London. Her major body of work Ex- Voto (2016-2018) explored Christian pilgrimage sites in Lourdes (France), Ballyvourney (Ireland) and Grabarka (Poland). Her series Lost Summer (2020) documented teenagers in north London who had their proms cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. She is currently working on the film Mother Vera—a feature length documentary supported by the Sundance Institute, which focuses on a pilgrim she photographed for Ex-Voto. Alys lives and works in London. Recent awards include: Winner of Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2020; Prix Elysée, Nominee, 2020-2022; Rencontres d’Arles New Discovery Award 2019, Shortlist & Public Prize Winner; Photographer of the Year Award at the 2018 Sony World Photography Awards.
Connect with Alys Tomlinson on her Website and on Instagram!
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Michael Behlen is an instant film addict and the founder and publisher of Analog Forever Magazine. For the last six years, Behlen has become an obsessive community organizer in the film photography world, including launching the independent publishing projects PRYME Magazine and PRYME Editions, two enterprises dedicated to the art of instant film. Through these endeavors, he has featured and published 200+ artists from around the globe via his print and online publications.
He has self-published two Polaroid photobooks -Searching for Stillness, Vol. 1 and I Was a Pioneer, literally a boxed set of his instant film work. His latest book, Searching for Stillness Vol. II was published in 2020 by Static Age. He has been published, been interviewed, and been reviewed in a quantity of magazines and online publications, from F-Stop and Blur Magazine to the Analog Talk Podcast. He loves the magic sensuality of instant film: its saturated, surreal colors; the unpredictability of the medium; it’s addictive qualities as you watch it develop. He spends his time shooting instant film and backpacking in the California wilderness, usually a combination of the two.
Connect with Michael Behlen on his Website and on Instagram!
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