Italian photographer Ettore Moni explores a mostly-abandoned valley in the heart of the Apuan Alps, Italy in his series “Empty Valley”. He photographs the place, its quarriers and few locals, paying special attention to the juxtaposition of the rugged, beautiful landscape and industrial mining operations. “On one side this tough nature hardly allows space for an-made constructions, yet on the other side it lets quarriers reach its very heart with their apparently unnatural lengthwise cuts, which in fact follow the geological patterns of marble layers”, he explains.

“The antagonist here, if there is one, is history, which is always such a severe teacher: think of the industrial revolution whose—mainly negative—effects have deeply affected the valley, and think of the massacre of about a hundred people. This is why it is of little importance that this place is rarely reached by the rays of sunshine, because here I could actually arrive. And I came back. After all, here one could well imagine to be able to look at the sea from the ‘Dolomites’ or to walk on the austere lunar soil. One may also find a shepherd writing poetry, or a quarrier with a university degree; and even meet a hunter who prefers using his legs for trekking to using his rifle for killing, or a sculptor considering his solitude an opportunity.” 

See more from “Empty Valley” below!