{"id":2109169,"date":"2026-08-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2109169"},"modified":"2026-08-24T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T21:00:00","slug":"europes-carousels-eternally-whirl-in-luca-battaglias-nostalgic-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2109169","title":{"rendered":"Europe\u2019s Carousels Eternally Whirl in Luca Battaglia\u2019s Nostalgic Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02_TOULOUSE_ROUND.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a long-exposure photo of a spinning carousel\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Toulouse. All images \u00a9 Luca Battaglia, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Europe\u2019s Carousels Eternally Whirl in Luca Battaglia\u2019s Nostalgic Photos<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-08-24T11:30:00-05:00\">August 24, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-photography\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/photography\/\" rel=\"tag\">Photography<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"colossal-share-buttons\">\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--facebook\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F08%2Fluca-battaglia-ticket-non-remboursable-carousels-photography%2F&amp;title=Europe%26%238217%3Bs%20Carousels%20Eternally%20Whirl%20in%20Luca%20Battaglia%26%238217%3Bs%20Nostalgic%20Photos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share on Facebook\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Share<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--pinterest\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F08%2Fluca-battaglia-ticket-non-remboursable-carousels-photography%2F&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2F02_TOULOUSE_ROUND-960x720.webp&amp;description=Europe%26%238217%3Bs%20Carousels%20Eternally%20Whirl%20in%20Luca%20Battaglia%26%238217%3Bs%20Nostalgic%20Photos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share to Pinterest\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Pin<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--email\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#6a55191f08000f091e572f1f18051a0f4f585c4f585952585b5d4f5928194f585a290b18051f190f06194f585a2f1e0f18040b0606134f585a3d020318064f585a03044f585a261f090b4f585a280b1e1e0b0d06030b4f585c4f585952585b5d4f5928194f585a2405191e0b060d03094f585a3a02051e05194c0b071a5108050e13572f1f18051a0f4f585c4f585952585b5d4f5928194f585a290b18051f190f06194f585a2f1e0f18040b0606134f585a3d020318064f585a03044f585a261f090b4f585a280b1e1e0b0d06030b4f585c4f585952585b5d4f5928194f585a2405191e0b060d03094f585a3a02051e05194f585a4f2f584f525a4f535e4f585a021e1e1a194f592b4f582c4f582c1d1d1d441e02031903190905060519190b06440905074f582c585a585c4f582c5a524f582c061f090b47080b1e1e0b0d06030b471e0309010f1e4704050447180f0708051f18190b08060f47090b18051f190f0619471a02051e050d180b1a02134f582c\" aria-label=\"Email this article\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Email<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--copy\">\n\t\t\t<button type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Copy article link\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link colossal-share-button__copy\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/08\/luca-battaglia-ticket-non-remboursable-carousels-photography\/\" data-label-default=\"Copy\" data-label-copied=\"Copied!\" data-aria-default=\"Copy article link\" data-aria-copied=\"Link copied to clipboard\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-live=\"polite\">Copy<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--bookmark\">\n\t\t\t<button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"477078\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Drawn to the juxtapositions of urban spaces and desolate regions alike, photographer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lucabattaglia.eu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luca Battaglia<\/a> illuminates the distinctive characteristics of places. \u201cI do not claim\u2014nor do I ever say\u2014that I am an architectural photographer,\u201d he says in a statement. \u201cWhen asked, I say that I am a photographer of places, of voids.\u201d From the expanses of the American Southwest to images of New York City that revel in quietude rather than its signature boisterousness, built environments are a well of inspiration.<\/p>\n<p>In his ongoing series <em>Ticket non remboursable<\/em> (\u201cnon-refundable ticket\u201d), Battaglia creates bold portraits of carousels in city squares and parks across Europe. The advent of these iconic amusement rides can be traced back to the medieval tradition of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.history.com\/articles\/carousel-ride-history-jousting-knights\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">jousting<\/a>, which involved horses, of course, plus a lot of pomp and fanfare. By the late 17th century, official royal jousts became of a thing of the past, but by the late 18th century, mechanical carousels hit the scene featuring bedecked equines and many of the visual elements associated with jousting tournaments. Over the next century or so, these entertainments evolved into meticulous examples of craftsmanship with painted, hand-carved elements.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/36_GRENOBLE_ROUND.webp\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477078\" title=\"Grenoble\" data-rl_title=\"Grenoble\" data-rl_caption=\"Grenoble\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/36_GRENOBLE_ROUND.webp\" alt class=\"wp-image-477086\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Grenoble<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For Battalgia, this centuries-old tradition represents a kind of timelessness that makes for powerful nostalgia. Growing up in Milan, he fondly remembers a carousel he used to encounter as a child, although it has since disappeared. \u201cThe project began with my fascination for carousels, not simply as attractions, but as objects connected to memory, childhood, movement, and the transformation of public space,\u201d the artist tells Colossal. \u201cI photograph them using long exposures, trying to move away from their literal appearance and reveal something more abstract and suspended.\u201d An everyday sight in many city\u2019s public parks and plazas is transformed into something otherworldly.<\/p>\n<p>Ornamentation and specific characters blur into abstract patterns of rotating lights and an emphasis on the top, making the structures almost UFO-like. \u201cTechnically, I usually work with an ND256 or ND1000 neutral density filter, which allows me to make exposures of approximately 20 to 30 seconds,\u201d Battaglia says. \u201cDuring this time, the movement of the carousel traces lines across the photograph: the structure partly disappears, while light, colour, and movement create a new image.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>See more on the artist\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/luca_battaglia_photos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/42_NICE_ROUND.webp\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477078\" title=\"Nice\" data-rl_title=\"Nice\" data-rl_caption=\"Nice\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/42_NICE_ROUND.webp\" alt=\"a long-exposure photo of a spinning carousel\" class=\"wp-image-477088\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nice<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/50_MARSEILLESUDSIDE.webp\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477078\" title=\"Marseille\" data-rl_title=\"Marseille\" data-rl_caption=\"Marseille\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/50_MARSEILLESUDSIDE.webp\" alt=\"a long-exposure photo of a spinning carousel at night\" class=\"wp-image-477089\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Marseille<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/39_PARISCHARLESMICHEL_ROUND.webp\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477078\" title=\"Charles Michels, Paris\" data-rl_title=\"Charles Michels, Paris\" data-rl_caption=\"Charles Michels, Paris\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/39_PARISCHARLESMICHEL_ROUND.webp\" alt=\"a long-exposure photo of a spinning carousel\" class=\"wp-image-477087\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Charles Michels, Paris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/24_DIJON_ROUND.webp\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477078\" title=\"Dijon\" data-rl_title=\"Dijon\" data-rl_caption=\"Dijon\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/24_DIJON_ROUND.webp\" alt=\"a long-exposure photo of a spinning carousel\" class=\"wp-image-477084\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dijon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/31_TUILERIES_ROUND.webp\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477078\" title=\"Tuileries, Paris\" data-rl_title=\"Tuileries, Paris\" data-rl_caption=\"Tuileries, Paris\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/31_TUILERIES_ROUND.webp\" alt=\"a long-exposure photo of a spinning carousel\" class=\"wp-image-477085\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tuileries, Paris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/17_TIKKIMAKI_ROUND.webp\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477078\" title=\"Tikkim\u00e4ki\" data-rl_title=\"Tikkim\u00e4ki\" data-rl_caption=\"Tikkim\u00e4ki\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/17_TIKKIMAKI_ROUND.webp\" alt=\"a long-exposure photo of a spinning carousel\" class=\"wp-image-477083\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tikkim\u00e4ki<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/14_DEAUVILLE_ROUND.webp\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477078\" title=\"Deauville\" data-rl_title=\"Deauville\" data-rl_caption=\"Deauville\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/14_DEAUVILLE_ROUND.webp\" alt=\"a long-exposure photo of a spinning carousel\" class=\"wp-image-477082\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Deauville<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07_PARISBERCY_ROUND.webp\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477078\" title=\"Bercy, Paris\" data-rl_title=\"Bercy, Paris\" data-rl_caption=\"Bercy, Paris\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07_PARISBERCY_ROUND.webp\" alt=\"a long-exposure photo of a spinning carousel\" class=\"wp-image-477081\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bercy, Paris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01_HONFLEUR_ROUND.webp\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477078\" title=\"Honfleur\" data-rl_title=\"Honfleur\" data-rl_caption=\"Honfleur\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01_HONFLEUR_ROUND.webp\" alt=\"a long-exposure photo of a spinning carousel\" class=\"wp-image-477079\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Honfleur<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"block-17\" class=\"widget widget_block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column 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All images \u00a9 Luca Battaglia, shared with permission Europe\u2019s Carousels Eternally Whirl in Luca Battaglia\u2019s Nostalgic Photos August 24, 2026 Photography Kate Mothes Share Pin Email Copy Bookmark Drawn to the juxtapositions of urban spaces and desolate regions alike, photographer Luca Battaglia illuminates the distinctive characteristics of places. \u201cI do not claim\u2014nor do I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-2109169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2109169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2109169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2109169\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2109169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2109169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2109169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}