Where was I that day? The loss of innocence, an exhibition on the Piazza Fontana bombing organized on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the attack

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Piazza Fontana bombing, Istituto Italiano di Fotografia together with Memoria Antifascista and Arci Bellezza illustrated that dramatic event, in order to raise awareness and remember,  and organized an exhibition at Arci Bellezza from 7 to 16 December 2019.

The bombing took place on 12 December 1969 in the center of Milan at the headquarters of Banca Nazionale dell’Agricoltura, and it opened the years of political terrorism in Italy.

The exhibition takes on the responsibility of telling and testifying the social struggles of those years, the protests of students and workers fighting to reach the almost utopian goal of a more just society. Moreover, the exhibition tells about the dramatic death of Giuseppe Pirelli, unfairly arrested, who died by falling off a window at the end of an extraordinarily long interrogation.

The exhibition shows portraits and video interviews of the social and political activists of those years – realised by former students of IIF Professional Biennial Photography Course – to testify the thoughts and emotions that animated those times and, in particular, the personal emotions and choices about the tragic event of december 1969 of those portrayed: Letizia Battaglia, Gianni Berengo Gardin, Lella Costa, Nando Dalla Chiesa, Elio De Capitani, Lydia Franceschi, Ugo La Pietra, Uliano Lucas, Luigi Mariani, Antonio Pizzinato, Carlo Smuraglia and Ranuccio Sodi.

Interviews filmed by Greta Cavaliere, Nicolò Colombo and Veronica Sala. Portraits taken by Angelo Anzalone, Nicola Cordì and Enrica Gjuzi.

You can also find some historic photos provided by Fondazione Marconi-Archivio Baj, Fabrizio Garghetti, Uliano Lucas, Fabio Treves.