“It was like being in front of a mirror.” Melania Comoretto and Women Prisoners

Melania Comoretto‘s work is stunning. Her camera serves the purist’s wish distilling the quiet human moment. I wouldn’t even describe Women in Prison as portraiture. It is beyond portraiture; it’s bigger, it’s emotional landscape.

Comoretto’s work is beauty and beautiful. But it is also tinged with sadness, possibly even resignation. Melania’s subjects may have felt like they too were looking in a mirror because – despite the camera’s interest – each of the women seem know the photograph is a reflection of them, their captive fate and lost opportunities. In that moment of exposure, these women look outwardly only with hope. Their circumstance may have dulled outward looking expectancy.

This work stands out, for me personally, as the best photographic document of women prisoners. The femininity in Comoretto’s work is charming and disarming. These are women whose words would likely shock us and yet they seem to know the weight of their own stories and captive futures. The reticence of Comoretto’s subjects, paired with the arresting gaze (when given), is a triumph.

Q&A

Where is this prison?

I photographed in two Italian prisons in Rebibbia and Trapani.

Why did you do a project there?

I wanted to investigate and understand how women could express their femininity and take care of their body in a situation of extreme marginalization.

The starting idea was to reflect the mental and psychological labyrinths and internal prisons that prevent human beings from living their lives freely. I asked myself, “What could be the extreme expression of this idea?” The answer; Prison.

What were the women’s lives like? Was their prison experience positive or negative?

The way the women live in prison depend on the prison in itself and how it is organised. It also depends on the personality and psychological attitude of the woman.

Most of them fall into depression; others react in a very active way. The body is the mirror of that. The more a women fall into depression the more she forget to take care of her body, that was the reason why I decided to focus on bodies and femininity.

Where are the women now?

Most of the women are still in Rebibbia and Trapani prisons. I shot this series of photos only in the last 10 months!

Were the women good portrait subjects? Did they want to be photographed?

They were very willing to speak and to be portrayed! They liked to spent time with me. They rarely have the chance to speak with someone who wants to listen deeply their stories.

Did they see your photograph prints?

I sent them each contact sheets

In Italy what is society’s attitude toward prisoners and, specifically, female prisoners?

Unfortunately, in every city and country of the world, the social attitude towards prisoners is not very open-minded. They [societies] focus on the fact that prisoners are guilty and rarely on the fact that (in the majority of cases) that they had no chance because their lives started in very tragic conditions. Without any help it is very difficult for prisoners to change their destiny.

What was your experience on the project?

For me it was like being in front of a mirror! I had a very tragic childhood and most of the women’s stories were similar to mine. It is by pure chance that I didn’t end up like them … involved drugs or crime.

And with that, I understood how in some situations life does not leave you any chance to change!

Can the camera be a tool for rehabilitation?

I deeply believe it is. I don’t know if photography could be a tool of rehabilitation for the women. For me it was and is … so maybe [the camera] could be for them and for many other people. It prevents me from destroying myself and I believe it could have the same advantage for many other people!