Feminist Photobooks in 1970s Italy

Abstract From the beginning of the twenty-first century, the expression photobook has proven highly successful in the wake of a rich series of studies, festivals, workshops, fairs, and publishing initiatives. The term photobook has, however, often been used to indicate, without much distinction, different types of photographic books that do not necessarily share aesthetic, political, or social aims, generating misleading perspectives on the genre. In order to examine the history of feminist photobooks in Italy in the 1970s, this article analyzes both the material and symbolic structures of these books as well as the contexts of their production and circulation, the artists’ careers, and their relationship to Italian neofeminism. Through a selection of books, the article offers case studies that can be considered significant examples of the relationship that can be considered significant examples of the relationship between photography, artist’s books, and feminist politics in the specific context of Italy in the 1970s.