“Donne e motori: gioie e basta”, the photography project by the Museo Fratelli Cozzi, is now in its third year, establishing its place as a travelling exhibition that celebrates the amazing contribution of women in various fields: institutional, professional, social, cultural and personal.
The brainchild of Elisabetta Cozzi, the Museum’s founder and president, this project immortalises exceptional women in iconic cars from the museum’s collection, not only showcasing their passion for cars, but also their charisma, strength and personality.
As one of the 40 faces selected for this year, I, Francesca Stanguellini, also had the honour of taking part in this initiative, together with my friend Yuko Noguchi, a journalist and historical research coordinator for the world of classic cars. The pictures of us are not just photographs, but real portraits of sisterhood, where every shot tells a story of passion, commitment and true beauty.
The concept of sisterhood
The central theme of this third edition of the project was sisterhood, a value that challenges and breaks the stereotype that women cannot work as a team and are always competing against each other. On the contrary, this project intends to demonstrate women’s strength of union, collaboration and solidarity, in all its forms.
The photographs, taken by the talented Camilla Albertini from Milan who graduated in photography from the Istituto Europeo di Design in 2017 and has been working as a freelancer, portray women united not only by a professional bond, but also by a deep personal connection, based on respect and friendship. In these pictures, we all pose alongside another woman with whom we share a relationship of support and affection, creating a real portrait of sisterhood.
The aim of this project is to overcome the traditional association between “women” and “cars”, often unfounded and linked to misrepresented clichés, and to build a new link between these two worlds that are as far apart as they actually are complementary. Photography therefore becomes the medium to convey a different narrative: that of women who, like cars, can push, innovate and build together, making a strong, positive impact on society.
The pictures, printed in duplicate, are available to be displayed in public and private exhibition spaces. In fact, this ambitious project wants to invite people to reflect on the power of sisterhood and the strength of women when they work together for a common goal, giving a voice to stories of empowerment, passion and solidarity.
My thanks go to Elisabetta Cozzi for getting me involved in this exciting initiative and to all the other women who shared this adventure with me!