HUMUS - Stories of Land and Belonging

A major documentary photography project in Osimo

HUMUS - Stories of Land and Belonging is the exhibition project that in 2026 transforms Palazzo Campana, in the heart of the historic center of Osimo (Province of Ancona, Marche), into a reference point for Italian and international documentary photojournalism. The project won the public tender Strategia Fotografia 2025, promoted by the Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture, and is organized by the Istituto Campana per l'Istruzione Permanente.

Four exhibitions, four perspectives on the world

Artistic director Stefano Schirato has selected four internationally renowned photographers, to whom as many monographic exhibitions are dedicated, set up in the evocative Sala delle Quattro Colonne of the palace. The common thread is the physical and cultural relationship between people, the land, and the sense of belonging to places:

• Fausto Podavini - "Omo Change" (February 21 - March 29, 2026): a story about large foreign investments in the Omo Valley, Ethiopia, a UNESCO World Heritage site, now at the center of the contradictions of so-called development.
• Antonio Faccilongo - "Habibi" (April 18 - May 24, 2026): an award-winning project on stories of love and resistance in the Palestinian Territories.
• Gabriele Cecconi - "Elegia lodigiana" (July 4 - August 9, 2026): a look at the relationship between community, landscape, and environment.
• Lorenzo Cicconi Massi - "La terra dei bambini giganti" (September 5 - October 11, 2026): the work of the Marche-based photographer dedicated to the memory and identity of the territory.

Meetings with the authors and educational activities

The project is not limited to the exhibition of images: meetings with the photographers and initiatives dedicated to students from local schools are planned, to make HUMUS an opportunity for training and reflection on the major current issues told through the language of documentary photography.

Palazzo Campana, a treasure chest of Osimo's culture

The historic seat of the Istituto Campana, the palace is one of Osimo's symbolic places and has hosted important photographic and art exhibitions for years. With HUMUS, the Municipality of Osimo and the Marche region confirm their commitment to quality visual culture, accessible free of charge to residents and visitors for almost eight months of programming.