Photographs by Milan-born artist Luca Artioli (Italian, b. 1963) show the remains of First World War trenches in the Stelvio Pass, a significant zone of combat on the Alpine front, as they appeared in June 2014 during his visit to the region.

In May 1915, Italy entered the First World War on the side of Britain, France, and Russia, with the aim of annexing the “unredeemed lands” (Trento, Trieste, Istria and Dalmatia) held by the Habsburg Empire. For three years, troops fought and died in brutal conditions all along the frontier with Austria-Hungary, from Trentino to the Adriatic Sea. In the mountains, where temperatures often reached below zero, Italians and their adversaries alike leveled peaks, opened roads, dug tunnels, and built trenches for shielding soldiers and positioning artillery. Beset by avalanches, snow, and frost, many of the troops who fought in this so-called White War fell as victims of the elements.

Miami-based artist, poet, and photographer Luca Artioli has exhibited his work in galleries, museums, and art fairs around the world. He has published several photography books and presented widely. For more information, visit lucaartioli.com.

This installation coincides with The Wolfsonian’s current exhibition, Myth and Machine: The First World War in Visual Culture, on view through April 5, 2015.