La Laguna Resiste
This photographic research documents communities that are resisting social and natural erosion in the Venetian lagoon since 30 million visitors submerge the dwindling population of 50,000 inhabitants annually. The project explores three key interrelated issues: mass tourism, de-population and environmental breakdown, by highlighting local inhabitants who are creating solutions and changes through various acts of community resistance.
La Laguna Resiste aims to amplify the presence of Venice’s human and more-than-human inhabitants through image-based interventions. Subverting the postcard perspective, the project aims to engage the wider public and protect the lagoon. A symbol of habitation, this installation adopts the semiotics of washing lines to engage and inform passersby of the diversity of communities and their initiatives. Hanging in the balance, the imagery on these bed sheets highlights that Venice and the lagoon are two interdependent elements of a single ecosystem. Venezia è Laguna.
Artist’s statement
The motivation behind this project began in 2019. I was interested in urban inhabitants’ adaptations to nature’s influence on urban environments, and I visited Venice for the first time to document the Acqua Alta (high tide), a natural tidal phenomenon that occurs annually. On November 12, 2019, tides exceedingly rose to 187 cm, submerging 85% of the city in water and incredibly damaging the city and its inhabitants.
During this crisis, I recognized the resilience of Venice and discovered the multitude of initiatives that were creating solutions to the many issues transpiring in the city. Growing up in the UK through 14 years of conservative austerity and political turmoil, it is incredibly powerful and inspiring to see local people successfully challenge the status quo. By creating self-governed spaces, decentralizing power and fighting for ecological justice, these groups exemplify the power of community resistance. This project exists to amplify different voices and actions for change.
Bio
Born in 1996 in Brighton, UK, Joe Habben is a photographic artist. After graduating from the Glasgow School of Art, in 2021 he founded Catalyst Studios, a non-profit hub that supports creatives in Glasgow. Joe’s practice explores the reciprocal relationships between natural and built environments through documentaries, interventions and participatory action research. His projects have focused on public space, refugee migration, globalization, human intervention, and the climate crisis. Joe has been featured in articles by The Guardian and Creative Review, among others, and has won awards such as Earth Photo: 2020 and BJP: Portrait of Britain.
