I learned to swim by being thrown off of a dock in my father’s hometown in Italy, when I was two years old. It wasn’t in a violent manor—it was a rite of passage from generations before me. It was a way to teach the young kids not to be afraid of the ocean. Apparently, you can instinctually swim. I guess that must be true because ever since then I’ve been glued to the surface of the ocean.
I’ve also been interested in the way that people behave at the beach. My fascination stems from growing up on the beach. It was my comfort zone. As I’ve grown up, human behavior has imbued me, and everything about being on the beach is so physical. You feel the sun on your skin, the salt through your hair. It’s sticky, and wet. As I’ve been photographing this place, I’ve picked up an interest in the physicality of the bodies and how they move around in space.
This project, “The Water Club,” is rooted in desire—desire for the summer, warmth, and an infatuation for the subjects I am photographing.
Check out more of Claudia’s work via www.claudiadimaio.com.
