Ludovicu’s disappearance. Ludovicu arrived in Montescaglioso (Italy), with his family, from Romania. Ludovicu was 57 years old and he was suffering from Alzheimer. One day in December 2013, he went out from his home and never came back. Veronica, his wife, waited for him for hours. She then finally came to our police station. Ludovicu’s story has touched my heart. I am a police officer, I have a passion for photography and I did not want this story to be forgotten. In wintertime it becomes dark very early. Ludovicu’s home is located in the town center. Everything there was silently screaming poverty. The walls were damped with peeling paint. Veronica was very heartbroken and tired. We needed her husband’s clothes: she slowly gave us his trousers and some of his underwear. The dogs had to sniff them so as to find a trace of the man. We would like to give some hope to Veronica. We would like to fight the evil premonitions and try to find her husband. We tried to find him in the countryside, we entered the abandoned cottages. Where we found other stories, we came across other women and men’s lives. It was such a melancholic winter. While we were trying to find him, we stumble in so many different lifestyles. We came across other emigrants, the shepherds, the peasants and the citizens from our town. I looked at them with different eyes. Our search was persistent, my goals were out of focus. I had come across a mystery and suddenly I realized it. I saw fear and pain. A man suddenly disappears without any trace. I was surrounded by shadows and I wanted them to vanish. After winter, spring came. I wanted to find some encouragement even in these obscure months. Until now, no traces have been found of Ludovicu’s disappearance.
Bio
Mariano Silletti was born in Pisticci in 1972 and currently lives in Matera (Italy). He joined the Carabinieri Forces at a young age, in 1991. In 1997 he studied and attended a photography course
in Bari. His photography captures scenes of ordinary life, stories of men and women he has come across during his duty as a Carabiniere. His photography is emotive, full of feelings and strength.
Silver Magazine 