diana bagnoli

The Bible Belt is an informal region in the southeastern and south-central United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism plays a strong role in society and politics.

Wilson is a small town, everything closes quite early and the downtown area has the mysterious charm of an abandoned beauty, with all its grand empty houses. Churches, however, are never empty. In fact Wilson counts more churches than grocery stores, about 80 throughout the city, most of them around the main street. Churches are strongly alive and are central to the life and spirit of the communities.

Coming from Italy, one of the most catholic countries in the world, I did not expect to be fascinated by religion. In the Bible Belt, faith is a way of life, a constant conversation with God. Everyone schedules their time around church activities. It seems to be a sacrifice that mostly fulfills people's hearts.

Last February, during my artist residency, I focused my interest on three communities, different for faith, ethnic group, economical and social issues: black people in St John and St Jackson, white people in the episcopalian St Timothy church and hispanic people in the Camino de Santitad Church.

On Nash Street, some prayed to tears while a few feet away others sung joyfully, expressing the many ways of being a Christian. Listening to their stories I understood also the many ways of being an American.

In churches, I've found the peculiarity, economical and personal issues of their society. Families, mothers, children and friends, all of them dressed-up as their church requires, close to each other, alone in their intimacy. In churches I've found people's history, made of compassion, hope, redemption, migration, suffering and joy.