The SOFER factory in Pozzuoli, once a vital part of the city’s economic and social fabric, now stands abandoned, closed for years due to asbestos contamination and safety concerns. Over time, it has become a symbol of neglect and decay. Mancuso, who had only known SOFER from the outside, chose to step beyond its boundaries—not just to document its remains, but to shape a memory that was not his own yet deeply resonated within the site’s crumbling walls. During this creative process, a technical error led to a breakthrough, shaping a distinctive photographic method. The resulting images feel like fragments of a collective memory, evoking the presence of those who once labored there, often at the cost of their health. More than mere documentation, Mancuso’s photographs capture the emotional and historical weight of the space, reflecting on the human and environmental toll of a vanished industrial era. In its abandonment, SOFER becomes a mirror—raising questions about memory, responsibility, and the lasting scars industry leaves on communities.
Emanuele Mancuso
1. Edition 04/2025Text by Yvonne De RosaBook Design by Emanuele Mancuso,Yvonne De Rosa, 89books128 pages24 x 31 cm31 color photographs andSoftcover FanzineDigital printISBN 979-12-80423-96-2