On the discovery of Padania — Gabriele Sciotto

25th of May 1997: referendum for the independence of Padania. According to Roberto Maroni, ex Vice-president of the Italian Council and Prime Minister of the Padanian Parliament, more than 6 million people above the age of 16 turned up to vote. The actual figures were closer to 4.8 million. The outcome of the vote was 97% in favour of independence.

Alessandro Patelli, “Il Pirellone” Lombardy Regional Office, Milan, February 2019. Patelli was the first person charged with the administrative, logistical and treasury responsibilities of Lega Nord. Arrested in 1993 for having receiving an undeclared amount of money. Now a retired member of the regional council of Lombardy.

Miss Padania was a beauty pageant sponsored by La Lega Nord from 1998 to 2012. The participants needed to support the party’s ideals and to have lived in Padania for at least 5 years.

Anna Bonansea, Miss Padania 2004 and her crown and portrait from her coronation in 2004. Omegna, February 2019

Stefano Tignonsini, captain of the Padanian Football Association, Sesto San Giovanni, March 2019.

The Padanian national football team played its first ever game in 1998 at Benevento against Aussonia. Throughout the years they took part in a number of different championships first organised by VIVA and now most recently by Conifa. Initially supported financially by La Lega, they now receive funds from other third parties.

Volunteers at a Lega celebration, Palazzago, February 2019.

An amphitheatre on the grounds of the Chignolo Po castle, home of the Padanian Parliament from 1998 to 2007. To enter the houses the 210 members of parliament were required to present their Padanian identity card. Chignolo Po, February 2019.

Maria Mazzo, volunteer of Umanitaria Padana, Lega celebration, Palazzago, February 2019. Umanitaria Padania is a charity, which in the name of La Lega, is charged with carrying out work in the most impoverished regions of Africa. Their slogans read: “Help those in need in their own homes” and “help them to help themselves”

Members of La Lega at the Lega celebration, Palazzago, February 2019.

Lega celebration, Palazzago, February 2019.

Park of the forest of Legnano, where La Lega Lombarda defeated Barbarossa’s imperial troops in 1176 and current home of the statue of the legendary soldier and symbol for La Lega, Alberto da Giussano. Legnano, February 2019.

Padanian flags at Pontida, a place where La Lega annually celebrates the historic oath for the formation of La Lega Lombarda in 1167. The first written account of the oath was created 3 centuries after the actual event, raising doubts about the existence of such a moment in history. Pontida, February 2019.

The river mouth of the Po. Regional Park of Veneto for the Po delta. February 2019.

Alfredo Belloni. Migliarino, February 2019.

Accessories in the official store at the headquarters of La Lega in Via Bellerio. Milan, February 2019.

Samuele (knwon as Sammy) Varin, the voice of Radio Padania Libera since 2005. Headquarters of La Lega in Via Bellerio, Milan, February 2019. Born in 1990, Radio Padania Libera, initially known as radio Varese, gained its current name in 1997 following the Padanian declaration of independence.

Bruno Ravera, known as “The Sheriff” and his wife, volunteers for La Lega Lombarda. La Lega Headquarters in Via Bellerio, Milan, February 2019. The headquarters of La Lega in Via Bellerio, Milan, that was once home to hundreds of employees, from members of the party and Padania tv operators, to radio presenters and journalists, now only houses about 20 people, many of whom are volunteers.

Adalbert Roncari, one of the founders of Grande Lombardia, an independence group for the region of Lombardy. Schiranna, February 2019.

Bruno Dolfini, supporter of the independence of Padania and founder of the Holy League of Padania. Mantua, February 2019.

On the Discovery of Padania is a visual exploration into the roots of the Italian party La Lega (the League), whose goal was the secession of a fictional state in the north of Italy called Padania. Together with other groups, La Lega ignored all opposition to set up a host of unrecognised institutions exclusive to Padanians only - a Miss Padania pageant, a national Padania football team and their own houses of parliament, to name a few.

The project will track the history of the fringe group’s beginnings, highlighting the similarities between the rhetoric of La Lega, now focusing on migration and Euroscepticism, and that of the old Lega Nord, once poised against southern Italy and corruption in Rome.

This work has been made in collaboration with fellow photographer Paul Gambin.