Summary:
- Sardinian artist Enrico Rassu presents multimedia project questioning creative roles and identity
- Exhibition combines photography archive, texts, and live performances at Milan gallery space
- Project includes limited edition photo box and book exploring youth culture and mental health themes
Enrico Rassu, a Sardinian-born artist and photographer, is presenting "Don't Call Me Fotografo", a multimedia project that examines the constraints of creative labels and professional identity. The exhibition opens July 5-6 at Via Ponte di Legno 9 in Milan, following its debut at Art Basel earlier this year.
The project consists of three main components: a limited edition photography box, a collection of written stories, and the Milan exhibition itself. The photography box contains images taken between 2017 and 2025 across Milan, London, and New York, documenting urban subcultures, graffiti scenes, and portraits of contemporary artists. The work was produced in collaboration with WUF (We Understand The Future) and initially presented as an art piece during WUF Celebrating Paper at Art Basel in Basel.
Accompanying the visual work is a book of stories developed through conversations and reflections over several months. The text addresses identity, creative work, mental health, relationships, generational changes, and what Rassu terms "Instagram addiction". The stories use his personal experiences to examine contemporary society and the search for alternative paths outside conventional roles.
Rassu's photography background includes documenting Italian hip-hop artists such as Sfera Ebbasta, Club Dogo, Marracash, and Fabri Fibra. In 2018, he followed Majid Jordan's European tour and worked with OVO Sound, Drake's label, which led to assignments photographing Drake's Paris performances and Roy Woods' Italian tour. His international work has included collaborations with IAMDDB, Lous and the Yakuza, and ASAP TyY, alongside commercial projects for Fujifilm, Adidas, A-COLD-WALL, Off-White, Zegna, Levi's, Apple Music, C.P. Company, and Diadora.
After living in London, Rassu returned to Italy to develop artistic projects that extend beyond traditional photography. In 2022, he created "Marseille, Safe and Sound" with C.P. Company, documenting the brand's presence in Marseille streets and its connection across different social, political, cultural, and ethnic groups. Between 2023 and 2024, he completed "Rosa's Pills", a mental health-focused project that included filming a documentary in New York and mounting exhibitions in Rome and Trento with support from Angelini Pharma.
The Milan exhibition coincides with the first anniversary of No Ball Games, a collective Rassu co-founded in June 2024 with Greta Scarselli and Lvnar. The group emerged from Rassu's book of the same name and aims to create spaces for creative expression in Milan and beyond. The collective operates with horizontal hierarchy and includes writers, freestylers, skaters, breakers, bikers, photographers, filmmakers, artists, and musicians.
No Ball Games has organized events involving multiple cultures and forms of expression, including a collaboration with Adidas for the launch campaign of new Superstar sneakers. The collective's philosophy centers on gathering to express oneself and encouraging individuals to create their own rules rather than following predetermined paths.
The Milano exhibition will feature the photographic archive alongside excerpts from the book's texts. The opening reception on July 5 runs from 5 PM to 11 PM, with the exhibition continuing July 6 from 10 AM to 7 PM. The event will include surprise performances and happenings, along with No Ball Games anniversary celebrations. On the second day, an open mixtape recording session will take place in the gallery, welcoming singers, musicians, and enthusiasts to participate alongside Lvnar.
Red Bull is providing event support, while Urban Vision has enabled the project's presence on city billboards. Various urban culture figures and collectives will participate in the two-day program.
The project represents Rassu's continued exploration of art as a means of connection rather than categorization, questioning the roles that can limit creative expression and personal identity.
Share this article
Andrea Darren
Born in Manchester, from a young age, she was passionate about art and design. She studied at the University of the Arts in London, where she developed her skills in these fields. Today, Andrea works as an editor for a renowned publishing house, combining her love for art and design with her editorial expertise.