Wind Walk

evening return and passed this tiny four seater chapel.

La Cappella della Madonna delle Grazia

Shrine to 'Our Lady of Grace' . circa 1500

the fresco of the Virgin is between two patron saints who 'protect horseshoers, pets, and epileptics, and who were deeply worshiped by the farmers'. This chapel also became the place where 'hapless mothers would abandon their children who were then saved by the charitable friars near by.'

Sunday and walking the country roads. Quiet, no cars. It's family day. Worship day.

A stiff breeze off the Adriatic.

Overcast, but warm. Camera in hand and it feels good to walk for a change of perspective...

I have resisted. I haven't wanted to comment, as it highlights a painful truth against so much beauty here. Another outlook to the landscape is the amount of garbage sited along the roadsides, up against the stone walls and throughout some of the abandoned groves. This practice of disposing household rubbish is disturbing, and here in parts of Salento.

Broken glass bottles, hardware rejects, tvs, appliances, plastics, items of clothing, and often under piled rubble of stones there lies more buried items.

I guess the locals don't see this as offensive, or aren't concerned. Maybe lack of municipal funds, or negligence, an indifference? It's hard to know. After several months I note the trash, but it doesn't effect me as it did, and wonder how the children perceive this rubbish, or do they notice at all?

Yet this feels harsh now, it's closer, in my face and I would rather be peddling swiftly, at a higher angle to a certain destination.

So...

my choice
to photograph 'artistic' castaways

wildflowers and seeding cedars,

pinecones, and racing lizards

capturing the atmosphere of h e r e.
Rubbish <
> Art
all relative. a fair degree of both
dependent on which context.
I've seen their equivalent in galleries and museum foyers.

s i m i l i t u d e s