The Carrara marble quarries (https://www.cavedimarmocarrara.com/) are nestled in the Apuan Alps, about 100 km from my home. Famous for their prized marble, they have been exporting these precious stones all over the world for centuries. Beyond their commercial importance, the quarries hold an almost otherworldly charm, hidden among the peaks of the Apuan Alps and overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea by Forte dei Marmi.
Having never been there before, I took the opportunity to portray Rebecca in this unexplored place. The most adventurous and demanding part of our journey was tackling the steep, dangerous mountain roads, still scarred by recent landslides. One of the most daunting obstacles was a huge chasm in the asphalt, caused by a falling boulder, which momentarily blocked our way. Luckily we managed to find an alternative route and continued the climb.
Once past the first difficulties, we found ourselves immersed in an almost metaphysical landscape. The autumn tones of the surrounding trees gradually gave way to white, as the snow began to cover everything with its immaculate blanket. This pristine canvas was enriched by the varied shades of the different extraction basins: the tones of the marble shone and shifted under the light of the grey sky, filtered by a thin, suspended mist.
One quarry in particular, dazzling in its luminous intensity, unfortunately remained inaccessible to us. So we opted for a site with darker tones, set in breathtaking scenery. As we made our way among the rocks, threads of mist rose around us, wrapping the mountain peaks towering above our heads. Although the icy wind urged us to seek shelter, we spent hours immersed in that magnetic landscape, capturing the grandeur of the marble slabs, carved vertically by black veins, and the wide artificial terraces overlooking unspoilt nature.
A truly extraordinary experience.
Credits:
Model: Rebecca De Michelis
Assistant: Alessio Bocelli
