Rachel Neiman
January 3, 2014

Photographer Mario Troiani is a recent transplant from la bella Italia to the not so bello Tel Aviv. Despite aesthetic shortcomings of his new home, Troiani has discovered its hidden beauties and his Facebook page, Italian in Tel Aviv, is a joyous celebration of the “Non-stop City”.

Tel Aviv’s varied scenery and raucous nature is a constant source of subjects to photograph. “I go out with the camera every day” he says. “It is a place of contrasts”.

The graffiti that blooms on every bare wall…

One of the city’s many curio shops. (Did David Ben Gurion ever imagine a bust of his likeness would end up atop an equally iconic cathode ray tube TV?).

A moment before they are crushed by casual passers-by, Troiani captures the flowers that fall onto the street…

The city’s colorful cacophony is tempered by the calming sea, as in this pattern of seashells on the beach after the rain has passed…

Blue sea and skies, green trees and puffy white clouds framed by one of the city’s many public sculptures

A vision of modernity: planes overhead as the sun sets on the Tel Aviv Port…

Troiani says that one aspect of photographing in Israel — and one that native-born Israeli photographers don’t necessarily appreciate — is the brilliant quality of natural light. “It is the best thing about photographing in Israel”.

Prior to arriving in Israel, Troiani was a photojournalist and also worked in film restoration — specifically restoring classic Italian films. He is now planning his first exhibition in Israel. For the meantime, more beautiful images can be found on Troiani’s Facebook page,  Italian in Tel Aviv.

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