Secret Love
“an extraordinary experience of life”

The two of us leaf through this book, one next to the other: together. From the beginning we knew that it was a work on film: “real photography”, one might say; “as it used to be”, others could say. It is certainly not nostalgia that emerges from the images, nor it is a taste of retro. We say the shot is the winner: that moment which has been thought up, sought and brought to life, even up from the abyss. Not surprisingly, at a certain point the water disappears: as an element, certainly not because of the context.

A center of attention emerges from each page, a point from which it is possible to unravel a story: one’s own, that of the observer. We close the book, place our hands on it. We look at each other and, without saying a word, we reopen it to the first page. We are not alone: the author, Carlo Mari, has accompanied us through to the last kilometer of a journey in black & white, leaving us the surprise of discovery, the intimate discovery of each of us. Because photography has to suggest, to incite, certainly not make clear, explicit revelations. Only in this way is wonder born in the beholder and, browsing the volume once again, the surprise has increased.

The details, the contexts have emerged, those elements which punctuate: almost like a counterpoint to a pressing and decisive rhythm. Yes, that’s it: an almost musical harmony emerges from the browsed pages. Serious, majestic tones alternate with a penetrating and continuous treble. Large and small, wide and narrow, vast and minute, they find their own alternation, almost indispensable. We talked about water: it is there, it is perceptible, it could not be otherwise; but it does its job. It suspends, elevates, caresses, like a veil of wind. The rest is fantasy, ours, accompanied by Carlo’s.

There were two of us browsing through the book: Gianni Berengo Gardin and I. “Bello” he said, but we knew from the beginning that this would be the verdict. Black and white was the accomplice, perhaps even the analogical source; but the narrative, the story, has won above everything else. As Steichen said: “Photography’s mission is to narrate the man to man and every man to himself.” Carlo continually, obstinately applies this principle, wherever he is, without difficulty.
It is a merit, it is photography.

Mosè Franchi

The book is available in only 100 copies, now in 3 different versions

The diver dips to see, the freediver dips to look inside.
It is with this expression that I answered divers that asked me what I felt to dive into the sea holding the breath!
I added that if you descend under water with a scuba, you can take a picture to show to your friends what you see below, in the Blue; in apnoea the feelings that pervade you are so unique and intimate that they cannot be put on a piece of paper! They are mine alone, no one will ever understand.

Well, after looking “deeply” Secret love I must change my mind: through the images of the author really strong, live and palpable emotions emerge.
Carlo didn’t taken photo for imprint the image of nature; he decided to take that specific photo, with that particular subject, with those precise shades of light in that precise moment because it was his state of mind in that precise moment, it was what he was strongly feeling in that instant.

The choice of black and white fits in this context: it is not the magic of colors that only the nature of sea is able to burst, but it is the image itself that excites and recalls unique sensations.
I’m thinking: If Carlo began to practice freediving, who knows which extraordinary images would be able to feel, to thrust out, to imprint!
Maybe one day we will also be able to see it.

In the meantime, I’m going to dive into Secret Love.

Umberto Pelizzari

  • Publisher: CarloMariGallery
  • Size 37.5 x 26.5 cm.
  • 208 pages of precious 170g paper.
  • black & white photographs printed in four colors.
  • Photos: Carlo Mari © 2019
  • Coordination: CarloMariStudio
  • Preface: Mosè Franchi
  • Supervision and texts: Maurizio Würtz and Umberto Pelizzari
  • Scientific advisor: Angelo Mojetta
  • Art direction: Carlo Alberto Mari
  • Layout: Donata Perticucci
  • Printed in italy 2019
  • © 2019 Carlo Mari
  • all rights reserved under international copyright conventions.
  • No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
  • Printed and bound in italy.

The book is contained in a precious and elegant alcantara-covered box accompanied by two Fine Art Giclée prints size 39x27 cm. on cotton paper of 305 gr.

The photographs are in numbered limited edition, certified with the author's signature on the back side.

Also the cover book presents a FineArt print, set with the same characteristics.

  • Publisher: CarloMariGallery
  • Size 37.5 x 26.5 cm.
  • 208 pages of precious 170g paper.
  • black & white photographs printed in four colors.
  • Photos: Carlo Mari © 2019
  • Coordination: CarloMariStudio
  • Preface: Mosè Franchi
  • Supervision and texts: Maurizio Würtz and Umberto Pelizzari
  • Scientific advisor: Angelo Mojetta
  • Art direction: Carlo Alberto Mari
  • Layout: Donata Perticucci
  • Printed in italy 2019
  • © 2019 Carlo Mari
  • all rights reserved under international copyright conventions.
  • No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
  • Printed and bound in italy.

The book is contained in a precious and elegant alcantara-covered box accompanied by two Fine Art Giclée prints size 39x27 cm. on cotton paper of 305 gr.

The photographs are in numbered limited edition, certified with the author's signature on the back side.

Also the cover book presents a FineArt print, set with the same characteristics.

The book
The book in box
The book in box
with 2 FineArt prints
shopping_cart
PayPal
Maestro Visa MasterCard Paypal
Credit cards processed by PayPal

Everything comes from the sea or from the Seas...

My family's unbridled passion for the sea has been the launch pad of my professional career. The sea taught me many things, forged my character, trained my eyes to be attentive and curious, taught my instinctive spirit to evaluate before acting, pushed my imagination to research and tell emotions that go beyond my expectations.

Beyond each wave there is another one and it is never the same as the one that came first, beyond every rock there is a surprise, beyond the darkness of depth there is the color of life. The sea is an infinite well of emotions and my being needs it tremendously. I have to live them and when I can, I tell them with all the enthusiasm I felt. Years ago I wrote a lot about the sea for different magazines, but the camera was the most appropriate means to satisfy my desire of telling. The camera, my life companion as well as my adventure.

All rights reserved under international copyright conventions.

  • € remove_shopping_cart
  • Copies:
    € remove_shopping_cart