‘Elska Rome’, the fifty-fourth book in the Elska series, a project about getting to know diverse LGBTQ+ communities around the world, is out now. This latest issue showcases a selection of ordinary local men from the Italian capital through a blend of intimate photography and personal storytelling.
“Ever since the Elska project began, people have been asking us to make an issue in Italy, and finally after ten years, we’ve done it,” says Elska editor, writer and chief photographer Liam Campbell. “However, it turned out to be a surprisingly difficult issue to make. More than almost anywhere else we’ve visited, which as of now includes fifty-four different cities, it was a huge challenge to persuade local men to take part. Perhaps it’s the looming shadow of the Vatican that casts an air of conservatism, or maybe it’s something else, but the fact that I managed to interview and photograph one person, let alone nine, felt like something of a miracle!“
“I was also surprised by how diverse Rome is,” continues Liam. “Despite being the capital of a large, wealthy, European country, I somehow didn’t expect so much multiculturalism. As it turned out, more than half of the men featured in this issue aren’t full-blooded Italians, even if they were born and raised there. I learned that Rome is an absolutely modern city, and that being Italian isn’t such an easy thing to define. Overall, this issue broke stereotypes more than most any other before it.”
The text in Elska Rome was formed from extensive diaries taken during the trip to the city, including conversations shared with each of the men met here. Topics include the role of the Catholic Church in daily life, problems with being queer in a sometimes rigid society, what it’s like to be a person of colour under Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government, and discussions of problems with dating Roman men. And there’s also frequent mentions of coffee and food, which are inescapable parts of Italian life.
Elska Rome is available in a collectible print book or in a downloadable e-book. In addition, the companion e-zine Elska Ekstra Rome is available, containing two more men and their stories, plus many hundreds of outtake images of each Roman subject. The publications are available for order online as well as from a select group of shops around the world. Ordering information and details of the subscription service can be found on the Elska website: www.elskamagazine.com.
