The Siena Collection

THE ‘SIENA’ COLLECTION

The ‘SIENA’ collection is a body of work shaped through years of returning to the Tuscan hills, drawn back again and again to a city unlike any other. Siena is divided into seventeen distinct districts, called Contrade. Each has its own symbol, colors, and governing body. Leocorno (The Unicorn), Selva (The Forest), Torre (The Tower), just to name a few. They function as micro-nations within a single city. These mini nations “goes to war” twice a year, converging in one of the oldest recorded horse races in the world: the Palio di Siena.

What began as curiosity became a long-term commitment to presence, trust, and immersion. Over time, relationships were built, access was earned, and the work moved beyond the visible spectacle into the private and unseen world surrounding the Palio. These photographs are not made from the outside looking in, but from within, capturing quiet moments behind stable doors, the charged stillness before the race, and the intimate bond between horse, rider, and Contrada. They offer a perspective rarely granted, shaped by proximity and time.

Dating back to the 13th century, the Palio is not simply a race, it is an ancestral rite. Each race carries the full weight of history, identity, and generational pride. Allegiance to a Contrada is inherited at birth and endures for life. There is no prize or riches for the winners. It’s all about Honor and Divine Blessing, yet everything is at stake. It is raw, extremely chaotic, and deeply emotional. The Palio stands as one of the most singular cultural expressions in the world. This series is an attempt to hold that tension and capture a place where past and present collide, where tradition is fiercely protected, and where, for a fleeting moment, an entire city breathes as one.

*Additional work in this series available by request.