Twenty great figures of Italian photography have portrayed the feminine world. An exhibition about women's everyday life in a changing Italy.

Mounted under the supervision of Giovanna Calvenzi and Kitti Bolognesi, this exhibition presents a collection of 300 images, which offer a comprehensive overview of the feminine condition in Italy. The organisers have selected 30 interesting stories of women who symbolize key issues in our changing society. The exhibition is promoted by Lines, a large producer of sanitary towels that has always been taking great care to serve feminine needs.

The exhibition provides evidence for cultural and social changes in our society. According to professor Giuseppe De Rita, who wrote the foreword to the exhibition catalogue, the setting is essential to understand what changes have occurred in our society over the past 50 years. In fact, women once stayed at home, a place where they felt protected. But they had to protect their home at the same time. They welcomed people they knew while they used to take a hostile attitude towards strangers The photographs on display at the gallery are set outdoors. There are images of girls in the Naval Academy courtyard, young team managers in the motor courses, dancers in a ballet theatre or a wine trader carrying out inspections at her rows of vines… The exhibition provides evidence for cultural and social changes in our society.
Women have changed their habits - says De Rita - by facing the challenges issued by a changing society, which affords them a chance to leave their comfort places to live a public life.
Lines has promoted the event by inviting important Italian photographers, who have portrayed women at work, women involved in family life and human relations. As regards photography, each author has its own style and expressive language. The exhibits range from Gianni Berengo Gardin's classical photography to intimist photographer Marialba Russo, from Cristina Omenetto's conceptual images to Malena Mazza's fashion photography.

Photographers listing (in alphabetical order): Alessandro Albert, Maria Vittoria Backhaus, Isabella Balena, Antonio Biasiucci, Alessandra Dragoni, Gianni Berengo Gardin, Giorgia Fiorio, Gianni Giansanti, Guido Harari, Francesco Jodice, Malena Mazza, Cristina Nuñez, Cristina Omenetto, Paolo Pellegrin, Marta Piazza, Fabio Ponzio, Marialba Russo, Ciro Frank Schiappa, Ferdinando Scianna, Paolo Verzone.

Oscar Felices Holguera has mounted a gallery with portraits of the authors

'Quotidiano al femminile' will be hosted at the Credito Valtellinese Gallery in Corso Magenta 59, in Milan, from February 7 to March 23, 2003. Visiting hours will be as follows: Monday through Saturday, from 10 .m. to 7 p.m. No visits on Sundays. Free admittance. After Milan, the photo exhibition will be hosted at Rome's Istituto Nazionale di Grafica, from April 10 to June 1, 2003.

Published by Lines/Peliti Associati, an exhibition catalogue consisting of 276 pages with 278 photographs and texts by Giuseppe De Rita, Antonella Boralevi and Giovanna Calvenzi is available from the galleries for € 45,00. The catalogue will be available from bookstores starting from February, 2003.