This photographic project stems from the observation of two artificial channels (Diversivo Est and Diversivo Ovest), built in the 1930s to collect rainwater flowing down from the hills south of a small provincial town, Piacenza.

Their construction profoundly reshaped the region’s hydraulic infrastructure. Previously, the water descending from the hills reached the Po River by passing through the heart of the city and the surrounding countryside, frequently causing flooding in central neighborhoods and outlying areas. With the creation of these new channels, the city finally managed to put an end to its historic vulnerability to flooding, enjoying a healthier environment and positive impacts on community life—ranging from individual well-being to economic and social development.

The Diversivo Ovest, in particular, is undoubtedly the most well-known. Everyone calls it the “Canal of Hunger” (Canale della fame), a name dating back to difficult times when its construction provided work for unemployed manual laborers, many of whom lived with their families in extreme poverty…