The Collezione Donata Pizzi is a unique project dedicated to celebrating the talent and vision of Italian women photographers from the 1960s to today. Featuring the work of over 90 artists, the collection offers a powerful and diverse portrait of photography as seen through the female gaze. From trailblazing pioneers like Letizia Battaglia, Lisetta Carmi, Carla Cerati, and Paola Agosti to contemporary voices such as Marina Ballo Charmet, Paola Di Bello, Silvia Camporesi, Gea Casolaro, Moira Ricci, Silvia Rosi, Giulia Parlato, Alba Zari and Alessandra Spranzi, it spans generations, styles, and stories.
In the 1970s, a wave of women photographers and visual artists emerged in Italy, entering fields long dominated by men. This cultural shift – fueled by political change and the rise of feminism – opened new paths for women in art and photojournalism. Many of these photographers have since gained international recognition, with their work exhibited in museums, festivals, galleries, and publications around the world. Yet despite this progress, their stories remain underrepresented, and many influential voices are still waiting to be fully acknowledged.
Recognizing this gap, Donata Pizzi began building the collection to give visibility to these artists and preserve their contributions. Her aim is to foster appreciation and awareness of a vital yet often overlooked chapter in the history of Italian photography.
More than a historical archive, the collection is a living, evolving body of work that explores the shifting roles of women in society and art, the transformation of the body, memory, and identity, and the intersection of personal narrative with collective history. It brings together documentary traditions and conceptual experimentation, revealing deep connections across different generations and artistic approaches. Together, they offer a vibrant, sometimes radical, and always insightful reflection on Italian culture.
