APCOM

To show how young people see the metropolis: this is the aim of 'The Mobile City', both a photographic contest and a cultural twinning between Milano and Toronto organised by Milano's provincial and municipal committees, the Chamber of Commerce, the local school authorities and their Canadian counterparts. From February to May, youth aged between 16 and 22 years old were asked to portray their cities by taking a picture with their mobile phones.

A panel of experts, headed by the critic and historian of photography Roberta Valtorta, yesterday awarded 10 artists and selected other 20 works. The best 'photographers' from Canada are now in Milano, while the competition's Italian winners will fly to Ontario from July 15th to July 23rd. Their production is going to be on display at the Lennox Contemporary Gallery in Toronto starting next Wednesday, while in November they will land at Milano's Contemporary Photography Museum.

The contestants focused on several features characterizing their respective metropolises: not only nice views, but also the darker sides of the urban context. "The two cities are looked at in a tender way," underlined Daniela Benelli, the provincial councillor for Culture and Integration. "It's their favourite city. They care about it, although they know it is a place of loneliness as well. They find a homelike landscape also in the suburbs, which are part of their experience."