Zompi by Gabriele Galimberti



gabrielegalimberti.com


The project “Zompi” of Gabriele Galimberti is extraordinary.
First of all because in a time of Internet and Photoshop Gabriele could have easily done this entire work sitting in his living room. But Gabriele actually did go to over 50 locations an 5 continents and performed his jumps setting his camera release on a 10 second timer and painstakingly leaping in the air dozens and dozens of times till he gets the right jump. In Iceland, in order to obtain a satisfactory photo with a geyser, he jumped 98 times.
Secondly because when I asked him if this was ironic take on the Jumpology by Philippe Halsman, conjugated in a self-portrait and global manner, he told me he had no idea who Halsman was and that he had actually named this work “Zompi” a word in Tuscan dialect that can be loosely translated as “hops”.
Thirdly because these images mix impressive consistency, obsessiveness and stamina with utter journalistic uselessness. They joyfully shout one of the most deep and rooted reasons people photograph: the necessity of saying “I was here”.
And finally because if you think that Gabriele is actually tricking you and he does not really jump that high I will unwillingly testify, and it can be verified in the image from Port au Prince, that he achieves much higher results then rest of us.

Paolo Woods