Hylonicum

Light and residues, by Nicola Polloni

Messina Reiterations

Iteration 4

The fourth iteration dwells on the temporality of forms. Buildings, infrastructures, vessels, and surfaces bear the marks of different and indifferent processes, of specific functions that transcend the individuality of those who use them. These are transient conditions, never definitive. The city becomes a stratification of times that continue to coexist within the instant, sometimes harmoniously, sometimes in contradiction. Messina allows a deep and secret desire to emerge: that every contradiction might itself be the substratum of harmony. The fourth photographic return shows that the precariousness of structure was already contained within form, and that the illusion of permanence is grounded only in the silent, particular configuration of urban matter.

A solitary person sits on a pebbled shore facing the Strait, with steep mountains and coastal settlements across the water.
A symmetrical residential façade with shuttered windows stands behind an empty bench and a weathered roadside wall.
Dense apartment façades rise closely together, filled with projecting balconies, railings, awnings and domestic objects.
A woman sits on the beach near large concrete blocks while two people stand in the shallow water beyond.
Boats, umbrellas and beachgoers occupy a busy shoreline, with numerous vessels scattered across the Strait.
Waves break along a narrow coastline beneath an overcast sky, with hillside buildings extending into the distance.
The remains of a damaged small boat lie on the sand beside rough water, with harbour structures in the distance.
A damaged box-like structure sits partly submerged at the shoreline as waves wash around it beneath stormy clouds.
Close view of rippling water inside a circular basin, with dark sculptural forms blurred in the background.
A tall waterfront monument is seen through or reflected in glass, with reversed lettering and distant hills behind.
A man bends over beside railings in a civic square, with palms, historic buildings and a domed church behind.
A large modern building with open vertical bays stands beside landscaped grounds, with historic architecture visible behind.
Frontal view of an ornate residential façade with shuttered windows, a central balcony and one open doorway.
A symmetrical industrial building stands between two tall ribbed towers, with construction materials scattered in front.
A massive weathered industrial building with a tall rectangular tower rises above a street and parked cars.
A row of minibuses is parked beside the broad weathered wall of a large industrial building.
Metal platforms, ladders and enclosed structures project from the worn side wall of an industrial building.
A paved pedestrian area lined with benches, planters and angular shelters extends beneath dense trees.
A bright residential building with repeated balconies and shutters rises above lower rooftops against a dark sky.
1. A small motorboat carrying two people floats on calm water, with the built coastline stretching across the background.

Places and dates
Messina, 2024-2026.