JERRY UELSMANN

American, 1934–2022

From these data it is possible to deduce an image of the future Berenice, which will bring you closer to knowing the truth than any other information about the city as it is seen today. You must nevertheless bear in mind what I am about to say to you: in the seed of the city of the just, a malignant seed is hidden, in its turn: the certainty and pride of being in the right—and of being more just than many others who call themselves more just than the just. This seed ferments in bitterness, rivalry, resentment; and the natural desire of revenge on the unjust is colored by a yearning to be in their place and to act as they do. Another unjust city, though different from the first, is digging out its space within the double sheath of the unjust and just Berenices.

Having said this, I do not wish your eyes to catch a distorted image, so I must draw your attention to an intrinsic quality of this unjust city germinating secretly inside the secret just city: and this is the possible awakening—as if in an excited opening of windows—of a later love for justice, not yet subjected to rules, capable of reassembling a city still more just than it was before it became the vessel of injustice. But if you peer deeper into this new germ of justice you can discern a tiny spot that is spreading like the mounting tendency to impose what is just through what is unjust, and perhaps this is the germ of an immense metropolis....

From my words you will have reached the conclusion that the real Berenice is a temporal succession of different cities, alternately just and unjust. But what I wanted to warn you about is something else: all the future Berenices are already present in this instant, wrapped one within the other, confined, crammed, inextricable.

Dear readers,

As we come to the end of this remarkable journey through the pages of our photobook, I find myself overwhelmed with a sense of awe and wonder. In the captivating realms of hidden cities, we have traversed the imagination and creativity of Italo Calvino, finding inspiration in his literary masterpiece, “Invisible Cities.” Now, as we bid farewell, I am filled with a deep appreciation for the seven artists whose extraordinary photographs have breathed life into the essence of our 9 panels assignment.

Each turn of the page has transported us to a new destination, where reality and fantasy intermingle, blurring the boundaries between what is seen and what lies beneath the surface. Just like the hidden cities in Calvino’s enchanting tales, these images have woven tales of their own, capturing the essence of places both tangible and ethereal.

Through the lens of these talented artists, we have witnessed the delicate interplay of light and shadows, the vibrant tapestry of colors, and the symphony of emotions that permeate these hidden cities. They have invited us to explore the depths of our own imagination, to question the boundaries of our perception, and to embrace the beauty of the unknown.

It is my sincerest hope that this photobook has sparked your curiosity, kindled your sense of adventure, and offered you moments of respite from the constraints of reality. In these pages, we have sought to ignite the flame of inspiration within you, urging you to embark on your own voyages of discovery and to uncover the hidden treasures that lie in wait.

Thank you, dear readers, for joining us on this extraordinary journey. May these hidden cities continue to linger in your thoughts, whispering their secrets and inspiring your own creative endeavors. May the images captured by these artists forever be etched in your memory, reminding you of the boundless beauty that exists in the world around us.

With heartfelt gratitude and warm wishes, Pho