Dioramas of a Fictional, ‘Dark City’ Have Us Questioning Reality

Photographer Francesco Romoli’s project Dark City was born out of his desire to blur the lines between real and unreal. In creating miniature scenes and dioramas of a fictional city, he constructs a dream-like area where nothing is as it seems, where certainties vanish and definitions are ambiguous.

Dark City was made using two very different photographic techniques – digital and analogue. He breaks down the images into two categories; Reality Show, which he captured using a Polaroid, and Possible Worlds, which were made with a digital camera and image manipulation. According to Romoli, both techniques are often seen as being at odds with one other. Digital photography is viewed as more objective, like a mirror of reality, and analogue, as being more ambiguous. In combining the two techniques, both series show us a different point of view, but still share a common theme.

Romoli characterizes his style as very surreal, taking inspiration from science fiction and fantasy. Even as a young child he was interested in dioramas and after seeing dollhouses a few years ago, he decided to start this project. The combination of digital and instant photography proved to be a perfect way to push the boundaries of his creative work.

All images © Francesco Romoli

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