Ritrovarsi a casa: a photographic exhibition marking the centenary of Opera Cardinal Ferrari

A photo exhibition “Ritrovarsi a casa” (‘Back Home Again’) was set up along the pedestrian area of Via Dante in Milan where it remained in place  from 22 September to 8 October 2021. Supported by Fondazione Bracco, the exhibition tells the 100-year story of Cardinal Ferrari Opera, a historic reception centre for people in difficulty run by an organization that is one of the symbols of charity and solidarity in Milan.

The outdoor photographic display recounted in pictures the century-long story of the charity, which, every day since 1921, has opened its doors to people of no fixed abode. Not only does it thus cater to their most immediate and practical needs, but it also gives them back what they lack most, a place that they can call home.

Six contemporary photographers captured images from the daily life in the shelter, which were juxtaposed with images from its past.

The exhibition organizers also scoured the archives to select a series of pictures that tell not only the centennial history of the Opera charity but also of the city of Milan.

Fondazione Bracco, which has always been a stalwart advocate of social inclusion on its home turf in Milan, has long supported the Opera Cardinal Ferrari, and therefore sponsored the activities, including the photography exhibition, that it put on to mark its centenary.

The exhibition was curated by Joseph Frangi, a journalist of Vita and Chair of the Giovanni Testori Association. The photographers were: Marina Alessi, Isabella Balena, Marta Carenzi, Francesco Falciola, Valentina Lai and Giovanni Battista Righetti.