CAROLINA PIMENTA

Dear Portofino, 

You were everything I expected and more. I arrived after a long journey, anxiously waiting for the sunrise. I grew up hearing about you. A symbol of glamour and mesmerising beauty famously captured by Slim Aarons. 

You are the amusing juxtaposition of the ultra yachts and the ferries. And so I captured a bit of local life while trying to get a peek into your other reality behind those closed doors. The tourists vs the locals. Those who have access to the tiny bays of rocks vs those who shield themselves to avoid sunburns. Just next to them, others lounged in spaces flooded with brands. 

You are an explosion of greenery, beaches, wealth, summer and Italian vernacular culture. 

Like others, I wished I was on a boat. 

I never went on a boat but I was with you, in Portofino. 

Xx Carolina

www.phmuseumdays.com

Exhibition Details

Carolina arrived in Portofino after a long journey, anxiously waiting for the sunrise. She grew hearing about this famous place - its status as a symbol of old glamour and mesmerising beauty has made it a destination for the élite's summer vacations, immortalised by Slim Aarons' photographs. Even though the town is small it has created a larger-than-life reputation, inspiring movies and songs that capture its romanticised spirit. Imagination, stereotypes, and anticipation come together as she approaches this famous town she has always heard about but never seen or experienced firsthand.

Pimenta’s images trace a relentless movement, a rush to seek, know, understand, shape an idea and then its opposite. An instinctive mosaic is formed, unafraid of contradiction: her Portofino is a reality of sharp contrasts, where ultra-glamour and more accessible, human, imperfect gestures clash and mirror each other. Local life and tourism, yachts and ferries, the shade of private beaches and sunburns, freshly caught fish and the glare of shop windows. As we jump from one detail to another, like Pimenta, we try not to fixate on a single idea but to let several coexist.

The images allow the eye to wander and invite us to reflect on how we construct and deconstruct the idea of a place.

About the Author

Carolina Pimenta (Portugal, 1988) is a photographer living between Mexico City and Lisbon. Her work depicts everyday moments, offering an authentic glimpse into youth culture and societal dynamics. Pimenta explores the nuances of contemporary existence, juxtaposing public and private spaces within a media-saturated culture, blending innocence with a mix of optimism and uncertainty. Themes of play, sarcasm, and humor permeate her work, evoking both the spontaneity of documentary realism and the intentionality of directed scene.