Carrara Marble
Carrara marble has stood for luxury, power, and durability for thousands of years. But what does the world-famous marble mean for the small town in Tuscany and what impact does monoculture and increasing automation have on people?
Why do you think each and every one of us continues to boost extraction in Carrara?
With these questions in mind, I meet workers in the heavily guarded quarries and visit artists in their studios. I find a divided city that mourns its former glory; whose magic of a rich economic centre seems to have faded since the 70s. Many are critical of the marble industry today, accusing it of exploiting nature and people. Others work their whole lives in the quarries or the processing industry and feel great pride in the centuries-old culture.
The conflicting interests of the three “groups” in Carrara (marble industry, nature conservation activists, and artists) represent an area of tension that will continue to cause conflict and power struggles in the coming years.
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frantiscritti Quarry Carrara. FEB 2023