Naples – The art world mourns the loss of one of its purest and most influential masters: Mimmo Jodice. The authentic and visionary Neapolitan photographer has died at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy that redefined the boundaries of photography.
Born in Naples in 1934, Jodice was a crucial figure in Italian art, the first to elevate photography to the status of a contemporary art form. Since the 1960s, his relentless exploration has led him to explore universal themes such as memory, classicism, and expectation, transforming them into images of silence, light, and profound thought.
"Shadow is not absence, but presence," Jodice repeated, his work distinguishing itself by never being a mere document, but a revelation. His visions—empty squares, silent statues that seem to breathe—gave rise to what has been called the "enigma of light," a new and suspended way of looking at the world.
The connection with Naples and the artistic legacy
A professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples from 1970 to 1994, Jodice shaped generations of photographers, making a decisive contribution to the recognition of the discipline as an autonomous art.
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Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi expressed his deepest condolences, calling his death a "grave loss" and calling Jodice a "master of photography and the poetic voice of the city," capable of capturing Naples in its most authentic form.
The final farewell: the chapel of rest at Maschio Angioino
To honor him, the city administration and his family have decided to hold a funeral chapel on Thursday, October 30th, from 12:00 PM to 4:30 PM, at the Maschio Angioino. The location is no coincidence: it's a symbol of the city and was the last venue for his major exhibition, "Napoli Metafisica."
Jodice leaves with the highest accolades, including the Feltrinelli Prize and the title of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, but his invaluable visual legacy remains. In one of his last interviews, he left a wish for eternity: "I would remake all the photographs I've ever taken. I leave a legacy, but today I would like to start over again."
Comments (1)
The death of Mimmo Jodice is a sad thing for everyone, especially for art lovers. His ability to capture light was truly unique and left a profound mark on Italian photography. Sadly, we will lose his way of seeing things.