Photography, critical thinking and pedagogy: Thinking the city with Gabriele Basilico

Abstract

Photography has long been used as a privileged tool to represent and engage with cities. It is not just a tool of documentation, but also a medium through which critical perspectives on space are developed. In the act of photographing, the author acts as both inhabitant and interpreter of the urban space. The photographic medium enables a reflective and analytical form of inquiry. Photography can become a tool to challenge dominant narratives and propose new counter-narratives. For instance, by representing areas and spaces that are usually overlooked or nearly invisible. When combined with pedagogical practices, photography can provide a valuable foundation for developing critical thinking methodologies that encourage citizens to question how cities are represented, structured, and experienced. This article aims to explore the potential of urban photography as a tool for urban inquiry and critical pedagogy through the intersections between photography, critical thinking, and education. The article uses a well-known photographic project to examine its potential as a critical pedagogical exercise capable of questioning conventional narratives and fostering urban exploration using Gabriele Basilico’s Lisboa 2006 as an example. The article is structured into three main sections: i) a theoretical introduction to the concepts and frameworks examined; ii) an analysis of the case study, considering both Basilico’s methodology and the experimental testing of the photovoice approach; and iii) a discussion outlining a possible pedagogical exercise developed from the study and the analysis of the selected photographic project. The article employs several qualitative methodologies, including the mapping and localisation of the photographs contained in the book, as well as a test using the photovoice method. Finally, the article contributes insights to the design of pedagogical assignments, in which students can engage in mapping, photographing, editing and critically analysing photographs of the city, based on Basilico’s work and its analysis.