Created once again for the two-page spread in Internazionale magazine, which played a crucial role in Italy in promoting the idea of drawn journalism, though with more lyrical than journalistic tones, it revisits a place dear to the author, namely Lebanon. Baalbek resonates with lovers of archaeological sites as the UNESCO-listed ancient Heliopolis. The postcard image of this place opens an imaginary dialogue between a father and son, intertwining the tradition of the present, as Hezbollah’s stronghold.
Baalbek, bombed in 2006 by Israel due to its agricultural and manufacturing industries, saw much of its population emigrate in the following years, either for safety reasons or because they lost their jobs, as the factories were destroyed by the neighbor’s F16s. Since 2015, it has been under the watch of the Lebanese army due to its proximity to Syria, and the region now hosts about 140,000 refugees from the war-torn neighboring country. Costantini continues his mission to give voice to those who silence others, and even to himself, in the futile hope for a different future.
Published in:
Internazionale, n°881, weekly magazine, Internazionale srl, 2011
ilPOST, website, October 22, 2012″