Mimmo Jodice died at the age of 91 in his native Naples: he was one of the greatest photographers ever. Classical and metaphysical, time and memory have been at the center of a passionate research lasting over 60 years of a celebrated international career.
His black and white leaves an eternal light on the world and his beloved city, never folkloristic but an archaic substance, in constant dialogue with the ancient. Just a few days ago the film “Oltre il confine” by Matteo Parisino, which tells of him at work alongside his son Francesco, also an accomplished photographer, was presented at the Rome Film Festival, as well as the beautiful documentary by Mario Martone (A portrait in motion) about his life.
Self-taught, born in March 1934 in the popular Sanità neighborhood, in the 1960s Jodice collaborated with artists such as Andy Warhol, Joseph Beuys and Sol LeWitt. Among the works that remain in the history of photography are the Views of Naples and the Anamnesi series, the photos of the masterpieces of the Archaeological Museum. He was a photography teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples, the master of many talents who came after him and grew thanks to him.
Countless prizes and recognitions: among these Antonio Feltrinelli from the Accademia dei Lincei in 2003, the honorary degree in Architecture from the Federico II University of Naples in 2006. Since 2011 he has been Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture, beyond the Alps Jodice was much loved. He leaves behind his beloved inseparable wife Angela.
For the Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli «with Mimmo Jodice an undisputed master of Italian and international photography disappears, a man of rare sensitivity who was able to tell with light the hidden soul of cities, faces, ruins, memories».
«His gaze – continues the minister – was both ancient and radically modern, capable of making the invisible visible. Our friendship, which developed during my presidency at Maxxi, was nourished by the common belief that the arts can find full meaning when they are placed at the service of society. It is exactly the ideal that maestro Jodice pursued throughout his unrivaled career. My warm embrace goes to his wife Angela and his family.”
Among the first to remember Jodice, the starchitect Stefano Boeri: “With the passing of Mimmo Jodice we not only lose an extraordinary view of the world but an entire world in a celestial gaze.” “A serious loss for Naples” defines his passing as the mayor of the Neapolitan city Gaetano Manfredi. In recent months the birth of a Mimmo Jodice Multifunctional Study Center dedicated to young people was announced, in the Real Bosco of Capodimonte Cataneo building, news that made him very happy.
He had already donated many works to Capodimonte including the corpus of Avanguardie a Napoli, the projects Eden and The invisible city, Transiti, and also his camera obscura. The last of the countless exhibitions was Napoli Metafisica at Castel Nuovo, that Maschio Angioino which on Thursday 30 October from 12pm to 4.30pm will host the chapel of rest at the behest of Mayor Manfredi and his family for the last embrace with his Naples.