The 100 year old books salvaged from the devastating Venice floods in 2019 continue to tell a powerful story of loss survival and cultural resistance.
On 12 November 2019 Venice was struck by its second worst flood in history. A full Moon strong winds and a powerful cyclone combined to raise sea levels to 1.89m leaving 85 percent of the city underwater. Photographer Patrizia Zelano deeply moved by the tragedy traveled from Rimini to Venice the next day determined to preserve what she could from the disaster.
Wearing rubber boots she walked through flooded streets and found herself inside a home where books were drenched and ruined. Though unreadable their fragile beauty struck her. One book hardened like stone reminded her of an ancient archaeological find. Others with faded covers and crumbling pages became symbols of Venices cultural fragility.
Zelano eventually salvaged 40 books most dating back to the early 1900s including encyclopedias and poetry anthologies. Many of them were given to her by Lino Frizzo a Venetian bookseller at Acqua Alta whose shop had been overwhelmed during the Venice floods. She carried the books back by gondola and later photographed them in her studio capturing their ruined elegance in natural light.
To Zelano the books represent more than objects of decay. They embody memory resilience and the will to preserve history in the face of climate change. Rising sea levels and land subsidence mean floods like the 2019 disaster will only become more frequent. Through her photography she hopes to raise awareness of Venices vulnerability and inspire solutions for cultural preservation.
These books are like waves like letters or even hearts she explained. They are a eulogy to culture and a reminder that even in destruction there is hope and resistance.
Venetians who continue to live with recurring high waters see projects like the Mose flood defense system as only a partial safeguard. The story of the salvaged books remains a lasting symbol of how the Venice floods threaten not just a city but centuries of cultural heritage.
