Polli, Nicolas: Where Moonlight Shadows Palms and Trees, U Will Dream of Apples and Grapes

I saw a tree going up the mountain, a pigeon was hunting for food. The tree became a palm, the palm was carrying apples and grapes. I am walking in a place with pines and palms, where pigeons can dream to be eagles."This is the opening poem in the book.

Where Moonlight Shadows Palms and Trees, U Will Dream of Apples and Grapes, created between 2024 and 2025 during an art residency at Parkhotel Mondschein in Bolzano. Over three distinct periods across different seasons, Swiss artist Nicolas Polli immersed himself in the hotel and the city, capturing his experience through fantastical imagery. These photographs explore the surreal quality of the place while reflecting on what life in a hotel might look.

The area surrounding Bolzano is remarkable for its unique and contrasting flora. On one side, a Mediterranean atmosphere brings warm days and exotic vegetation-palms, cacti, and unusual flowers. On the other, alpine elements dominate chestnut trees, mountain blooms, and snowy winters. This striking contrast-where a palm tree might stand before a snow-capped peak-set the tone for Polli's open-ended exploration into the region's culture and identity.

Title: Where Moonlight Shadows Palms and Trees, U Will Dream of Apples and Grapes
Publisher, Year: Ciao Press, 2025
Photographer: Nicolas Polli
Format: Hardcover + hotfoil
Size: 24 × 29.6 cm, 144 pages
ISBN: 978-88-944928-8-0