The Dragon Dance by Massimiliano Faralli
Usually the dragon is represented with a pearl around its neck, the emblem of the sun. In that pearl is his power. If they take it away from them, it becomes harmless.
Jorge Luis Borges
The dragon is for Chinese culture a symbol of luck and grace. It is no coincidence that for centuries Chinese emperors have been defined as Sons of the Dragon. Massimiliano Faralli's lens tells us about a centuries-old tradition, that of the Dance of the Dragon, which is traditionally celebrated during the Chinese New Year to attract luck and prosperity to the new year. Faralli with sensitivity and respect enters this cultural dimension so far from Western rituals and tells it in a succession of images full of color and joy. We are in Prato's Chinatown but we could be anywhere in the world.
"The Chinese New Year - says Faralli - is one of the most anticipated events in Prato, a great opportunity to celebrate and learn more about the city and its Chinese community. The purpose of the dragon dance is not only to attract attention, but to celebrate the year that comes as they do in the shots of this work the boys who join the traditional parade carrying the dragon on their shoulders running into the Chinese activities to ask for a prosperous new working year to the Dragon Gods ".
BIO
Massimiliano Faralli was born and raised in Prato. He practiced photography as a professional for many years in the wedding and architecture sector. Since 2017, attracted by new techniques, he undertakes different photographic paths that lead him to experiment with new visions. He has won important international competitions, among the main ones in 2022 the Overall Winner Urban at Trieste Photo Days, the Miami Street Photography Festival, the Fujifilm Moment Street Photo Awards.
