Alesija Capaso today at the International Literature Festival, Photo: Đorđe Cmiljanić
Photomonography “Golden Odyssey – a journey through Montenegro in transition” by an Italian author Alesije Kapaso was presented today in Podgorica, as part of the International Literature Festival program.
She spoke with Capaso about the book, its creation and the many years of research that preceded it. Silvija Stafa.
It is an award-winning visual research project that follows political, economic and social changes in Montenegro through photography, but also speaks about its identity, tradition, cultural heritage and European future. The project began in 2016 and over the years has grown into a broader photographic record of a changing country.
Capasso captured landscapes, cities, people, monuments, and scenes of everyday life through her lens, trying to understand a country that, as she points out, is constantly transforming.
The story of Montenegro, as she said, began almost by accident.
photo: Đorđe Cmiljanić
“A person recommended that I come to Montenegro for a vacation. Before arriving, I had only superficially learned about the country, and what was supposed to be a tourist visit turned into a multi-year research and photography journey,” said Capaso.
What started as an idea for a travel photography project eventually grew into a structured project. According to Capaso, she returned to Montenegro three more times – in January and May 2018, and then again in 2023.
Speaking about the title, Capaso explained that she had been searching for a long time for a term that could capture what she saw in Montenegro. She found inspiration in scenes from the Montenegrin coast, yachts and tourism, but also in thinking about the process of transition itself.
“Montenegro is a country that is transforming and that title seemed appropriate to me. An odyssey is a journey, and this book is just such a journey through a changing country,” said Capasso.
The project focuses not just on individual people or places, but on the broader picture of Montenegrin society. Kapaso explained that photographs and interviews with people serve to create context, while individual portraits become part of a much larger story about the country and its diverse identities.
“Golden Odyssey” is her attempt to capture the moment in which a small country finds itself between a strong heritage and great expectations for the future.
In 2024, the project won the Reportage category at the Premio Nazionale Musa per Fotografe, and also received the Premio FOTO Cult 2024.
The photographic project later grew into a monographic publication. “Odissea Dorata” was presented in 2025 as part of the Italian Photography Festival, as the winning project of the “Percorsi” program of the Federation of Italian Photographic Associations.
For Kapaso, however, “The Golden Odyssey” is not just a story of political and economic change. It is also a record of the people, landscapes, traditions and identity of a country trying to find a balance between the legacy of the past and a look towards the future.
That is why the photographs in the book do not only present Montenegro as a tourist destination, but also attempt to capture different layers of its society – from everyday life and cultural heritage to the consequences of contemporary economic and social processes.
“Golden Odyssey” thus becomes a visual journey through Montenegro during a period of change from the perspective of the author, who first came to the country as a traveler, and then returned to it to record through photography what is changing, but also what remains.
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