Francesco Pergolesi

Heroes is a photographic project that I started in Italy, where I am from, in 2013. It is about craft shops and artisans that are disappearing. In the past, every small town and country had its own characteristics, often resulting from the arts, culinary products or local fashion. Back then, you could travel around the world and lose yourself in a stirring exotic sensation, returning home with a small memento of the places visited. Production has always been an important element of every culture, handed down to each generation in order to preserve its identity. When I was a child, I used to spend time in the cobbler’s and grocery store where my grandmother sent me. I realise that places like these are becoming lost in a new era; my work helps to preserve them. Heroes runs from 6 May until 1 July, at the Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago. www.edelmangallery.com.