“You have seen Delhi, but Delhi is not India. Go to the villages: that is where the soul of India lives.” Inspired by this reflection, in 1980 Gianni Berengo Gardin photographed rural Madhya Pradesh. Forty-five years later, Lorenzo Zelaschi returns to the same villages, creating a visual dialogue across generations. The book, published by Contrasto, explores how economic growth and technology have transformed daily life, while enduring traditions continue to shape rural India. The project was developed in close dialogue with Berengo Gardin, strengthening its intergenerational dimension.
Lorenzo Zelaschi (Bergamo, 1985) studied at NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan. After discovering photojournalism in 2018, he began documenting social and cultural change across Asia and South America. He collaborates with National Geographic and Orobie. His work includes projects on the Amazon Synod in Bolivia and the COVID-19 crisis in Bergamo. His friendship and collaboration with Gianni Berengo Gardin led to the book India dei villaggi 1980–2025 (Contrasto), exploring how time reshapes rural societies.
