Bibi Tomasi - Al cerchio delle tue mani

On the circle of your hands.
A story in images of the Italian feminist movement from
the archive of the Milan Women’s Bookstore Collective

A collection of never-before-seen photographs of the gatherings and communal life of the first feminist groups in Italy, taken by the multi-faceted author Bibi Tomasi: poet, writer, journalist, among the founders of Libreria delle donne di Milano.

Bibi Tomasi (1925-2000) was an Italian writer, poet, journalist and among the founding members of Libreria delle donne di Milano. Known for her literary works such as Il paese di calce and La sproporzione, since 1970 she has been a leading figure in the Italian feminist movement.  

Eight Poems by N° 02

Eight Poems by is an editorial collection by BilderAtlas dedicated to the work of contemporary women visual artists. The series adopts a non-linear, multifaceted approach that reflects feminism’s non-ideological thought, shifting between individual perspectives while considering the network of relations that nurture a photographer’s practice. Moving beyond the notion of the artist as genius, Eight Poems by hinges on the contradiction of desiring to assert one's own uniqueness without denying the relationships in which talent grows, affirming that creative authority is grounded in the transformative exchange with others and with the world.
The collection is also a response to the crucial necessity to reveal the complexity and power of women’s vision, through bodies of work that shed light on the subjective experience. Acts of self-expression and personal histories take tangible shape as tailored objects within a curatorial system, building on one another and forming a living archive available to the public. Each object thus becomes an island, a panel, a shared space that visually displays a dialogue between the photographer, their subjects and the active audience.

Eight Poems by aligns with the broader purpose of BilderAtlas’ activities, enabling artworks to gain international exposure through its collectible editions, and making current developments in lens-based media accessible to a wider audience.

Curated by Giorgia Basch
Design Jurgen Maelfeyt
Edit Giorgia Basch, Jurgen Maelfeyt
Essay Linda Bertelli
With a text by Rosaria Guacci, Libreria delle donne
Translation Catherine Salbashian

Softcover in slipcase
accompanied by a set of two cards

Card 02 features a passage from La sproporzione.

128 pages
Swiss binding
Offset printed on Fedrigoni paper
Format 17x23,5 cm
Languages English and Italian

First edition of 250
Printed in Italy
November 2024
ISBN 978-88-947707-5-9

© BilderAtlas