Salvatore Di Gregorio: Sicily’s American Dream
Photographer Salvatore Di Gregorio’s upcoming book “Sicily Not Alaska” traces the American dream as it lingers across Sicily’s sun-soaked streets and surreal landscapes.
At the end of World War II, Sicily came under temporary U.S. control through an Allied administration. The cultural exchange that followed was so intense that rumors spread of Sicily possibly becoming part of the United States. Salvatore Di Gregorio’s book imagines that alternate history: “What if Sicily, not Alaska, had become the 49th state of America?”
In the sequence, strip malls, muscle cars, and rooftop Statues of Liberty question how Sicilian identity has been shaped by American influence. The photographer combines personal memory with historical traces, drawing inspiration from his grandfather, who once sold secondhand American clothes at the local market and, sensing the end of his life, took the entire family on a first trip to the United States.
The book “Sicily Not Alaska”, soon to be published by GOST, is currently crowdfunding. Join the Kickstarter campaign to help bring it to life.
