Steffi Reimers Guilty Grounds

Foam 3h presents the first solo exhibition of recently graduated Dutch photographer Steffi Reimers. For the conceptual photo project Guilty Grounds, she travelled to Calabria, southern Italy, to explore the dark side of Calabrean history and the origins and kidnapping practices of the world's most powerful criminal organisation, the 'Ndrangheta. The exhibition comes at a timely moment as last week the criminal organisation has been in the news because the Italian court has convicted more that 200 people of crimes.

Reimers uses the concept of "Guilty Landscapes" to convey the complexity of this tragic history. She reveals the landscapes of Aspromonte National Park as silent witnesses to the pervasive influence of the 'Ndrangheta. Landscapes that were once untouched and peaceful now resonate with memories of events that have subtly left their mark.In a region where the mafia and its activities are often denied, Guilty Grounds is a powerful reminder of a shocking part of Italian history, confronting the viewer with the uncomfortable truth. In this project, Reimers' choice to exclude human figures from her images is evident, which emphasises the landscapes all the more as both 'guilty' and 'testifying' entities. Each image bears silent witness to the events in Calabria and invites the viewer to join in and make their own interpretations.