Gabriele Basilico (1944-2013) was one of Italy’s most important photographers, known for his work on cities and industrial landscapes. His career was distinguished by a rigorous and analytical approach, with a particular focus on social and urban changes through the language of photography. Born in Milan, Basilico graduated in architecture in 1971, but photography became his true passion and vocation. In the 1970s, he began to dedicate himself to documenting urban transformations, with a focus on industrial and suburban areas. His visual research focused on the relationship between space and time, seeking to narrate the identity of places through an objective yet poetic vision. His most famous project is undoubtedly Milano. Ritratti di fabbrica (1978-1980), a series that explores the decadence of Milan’s industrial landscape and the resulting social changes. Basilico used photography as a tool for social and cultural investigation, narrating urban life and the historical memory of places. Throughout his career, Basilico has also worked abroad, producing reportages in cities such as Beirut, Istanbul, Moscow, and New York, always with a keen eye on the transformation of the urban landscape. His photographic style is distinguished by technical precision, clear observation, and an aesthetic that captures beauty even in the most degraded places. Basilico has exhibited in numerous international museums and galleries, and his work has been published in numerous publications. His influence on contemporary photography is profound, and his approach to photography as a social document has been a benchmark for generations of photographers.