Expo Dismantling

• Photographer
  Filippo Poli, Italy
• Studio
  Filippo Poli Photography
• Website
  https://filippopoli.com/
• Instagram
  filippo.poli

I went back to Milan Expo during the dismantling, some months
ago I had literally to fight to find a good position to shoot the
pavilions, now I walk alone in the empty Decumano. The site
seems to be a post atomic landscape; the metal devouring
machines and the giant saws suddenly interrupt the unnatural
silence and remind me the reason of my visit: document the last
phase of the Expo process.
Countries are committed to leave the plot as they received it, but
unfortunately many buildings are being destroyed and not
dismantled as the organization promised. Some pavilions have
evaporated, on the ground some sign of the foundations and mud;
others lie ripped, someone else seems to have been bombed, but
it stoically stands.
This serie aims to raise some questions not only on architecture
but also on our society and the meaning of this kind of events.

Filippo Poli, architect, has been working as a photographer since 2008. His personal projects explore the cultural landscape and the evolving relationship between humans and nature. His work has been featured in leading magazines. He has received numerous accolades and his work has been exhibited at events and exhibitions such as, Enaire Foundation, PhotoEspaña (2017, 2025), Venice Biennale, Climate Summit, ARCO Madrid, Deutsches Architekturmuseum and the Vila Casas Foundation.

Awards Selected Awards
• 2025: Arles Festival OFF, finalist, Prix Révélation Saif X La Kabine
• 2025: Finalist, Coca Award
• 2025: Finalist, Fundación Enaire Photography Award
• 2025: Winner, 5th National Contest for New Photographic Creation Expositivos, León
• 2025: Selected, Art Photo BCN portfolio review
• 2025: Selected, Grief Guest Room
• 2021: First Prize, Architecture Photography Master Prize
• 2017: First Prize, Fundación Enaire Photography Contest
• 2017: Honorable Mention, IPA Prize
• 2015: Honorable Mention, Monochrome Awards
• 2014: Third Prize, PX3 Paris
• 2012: First Prize, ArchTriumph International Architectural Photography
• 2011: Mention, Photography Masters Cup
• 2009: Mentions: PX3 Paris, IPA Prize, Garden Photographer, Photography Masters Cup, Snowden Prize (Australia)

Selected Exhibitions
• 2025 (November): Solo show, Sala Palacín, León
• 2025 (October): Dispara, Pontevedra
• 2025 (September): C Arte C, PhotoEspaña, Madrid
• 2024: Appartenenza, Cesenatico, Perimetro
• 2023: Abitare la Vacanza, Ministry of Culture of Italy, Piombino
• 2022: Richard Photo District, Perimetro, Museo Mudec, Milan
• 2019: Conciencia², Climate Summit (COP25), Fundación Enaire, Madrid
• 2018: Naves de Gamazo, Fundación Enaire (permanent collection)
• 2018: ARCO Madrid, commissioned by Fundación Enaire
• 2017: PhotoEspaña, Instituto Cervantes, Madrid
• 2017: Architekturbild, Deutsches Architekturmuseum, Frankfurt
• 2017: Fundació Vila Casas, Barcelona
• 2015: Architettura Sintattica, 10 Italian photographers portray modern architecture in Milan
• 2014: Italian Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Asnago Vender a Milano, curated by Cino Zucchi
• 2014: Venice Biennale, Zingonia Mon-Amour, curated by Rem Koolhaas
• 2009: Snowden Gallery, Perth, Australia
• 2009: Project Basho, Philadelphia, USA
• 2007: Monumentale Museo a Cielo Aperto, Monumental Cemetery, Milan