Housing, Improved: Italy: Venice: Municipal Tenements: Improved Housing: Italy: Gruppo di 5 Fabbricati in Corte Colanne (Sestiere di Castello): 71 appartamenti abitati dal giorno 1 Giugno 1909 c. 1909

Curator: Here we have Giovanni Jankovich’s photograph, “Housing, Improved: Italy: Venice,” capturing municipal tenements inhabited since June 1, 1909. Editor: My first impression is of this stark, almost melancholic geometry. The repetitive windows and severe lines seem to stifle the inherent charm of Venice. Curator: Indeed. The photograph focuses on the formal arrangement of these new housing blocks, emphasizing their functionality over aesthetics. Note the composition: the converging lines draw the eye deep into the frame, yet there's a certain flatness. Editor: It's as if the artist wants us to consider the social implications, the sheer volume of human lives contained within these walls. But the absence of vibrant life—except for a couple of people!—makes it feel like a stage set. Curator: Perhaps that stillness invites us to consider the hopes and dreams invested in “improved” housing—or its potential alienation. I find it quite poignant. Editor: A sobering glimpse of urban progress, rendered with a beautiful, muted austerity. It makes you think, doesn’t it?