In this body of work, Acts of Defense 2022, Valentino responds to an internal investigation of empathy and concern for humanity through a transpositional, performance-based inquiry of war from an imaginary civilian perspective, in observation of destructive loss to architectural infrastructure, injuries, and the demise of a population.
The news coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted this explorative contemplation. The headlines and radio broadcast announcements were prevalent across all the major media outlets, and the images of tanks, burials, and communities that banded together to aid each other with shelter, food, and other provisions sparked an interest to investigate words, and, or phrases indicative of what war might look like, photographically. “Running towards,” “fighting with,” “blocking fire,” etc. are examples of the phrases Valentino contemplated. Questions about “how he might feel if he were in that position?” “What would he do, in a chaotic circumstance, as a civilian without immediate refuge?” These questions served as materials in the making of this series.
The performance of each scenario was improvised over a yellow backdrop with one studio strobe (behind him at an angle), and a digital SLR set to a shutter speed long enough to record his movements. Performance was critical to making these photographic images because through imaginary-kinetic relations– Valentino was able to character build– and reach a deeper level of empathy.
