Matera

On the edge of a ravine in the deep south of Italy lies one of the oldest cities in the world, Matera. Back in prehistoric times, the first inhabitants took up residence here by carving gorges in the mountains into deep caves. Life in the caves was tough. Until the middle of the last century, large, Italian families lived with their livestock in dark rooms, without daylight, running water or hygiene. When Prime Minister De Gasperi visited this region in 1950, he called Matera "a national disgrace. Shortly thereafter, a complete evacuation was undertaken. Matera turned into a ghost town. Only in the 1980s was a decision made to refurbish the houses and make them habitable. And since then, the Sassi have been a tourist attraction.

This artwork is offered by Henk Langerak

When I come somewhere, I immediately think in pictures. What is interesting here; how can I best portray this? Photography is a passion, which doesn't pass if I don't have a camera with me. I have a broad taste. Landscapes, panoramas, macro, animals, people. Everything fascinates me and it shows in my photographs. I have published in newspapers and magazines. And my photographs have been shown at many exhibitions, both solo exhibitions and group exhibitions. I am a member of Alphoto photo club in Alphen aan den Rijn and a member of the FotoBond. What can be seen on this site is only a very small part of my extensive oeuvre. Please take a look at my weblog and my websites.

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