In the past thirty years the word Padania has become part of everyday life in Italy. It refers to an area in
Northern Italy that extends from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea. A territory that exists in the ideas of many, but
that geographically, culturally and juridically remains undefined.
Padanistan (using ‘stan’ as an alternative marker for land), seeks to challenge ownership of this
region. Creating a new conceptual space in order to question the existence of Padania and the legitimacy of
the right wing politics that created it. The title Padanistan deliberately hijacks the nationalistic rhetoric found
within Padanian politics. It questions the notion of place, of boundaries and of defined identities, directly
confronting the singular and divisive vision of Italian culture, and the misguided idea of one 'real' Italy.
Padanistan presents a much more nuanced and complex reality, a vision that celebrates a fluid connection
with Italy, surrounding countries and the world beyond. The project is the result of a personal view developed
as a long road trip along the main national road that connects Torino to Venezia, to discover the places and
people living along the way, giving birth to a contemporary reflection on the Northern Italian province.