Erika Pino

Department: Information Design
Website: www.erikapino.it

Holes in the Cement

In a world that thrives on information, the lack of it is alarming
when it comes to sensitive subjects. Especially in Sicily,
where politics, business and criminality are often intertwined.
Erika Pino investigated the impact of a cement factory on the
environment and health situation of her hometown Villafranca
Tirrena. She found more resistance than answers. Although
no clear data is available, villagers say that many factory workers
have become ill and that the area’s soil and water are polluted.
Pino created an interactive archive, meant to reconstruct the
case by interweaving the facts with local stories. The website
homepage has a vertical scroll, based on official sources, and
an ‘unofficial’ horizontal overlap based on speculation and
first-hand testimonies. Users are invited to fill in the blanks that
are clearly visualised. They can add information anonymously.
How long will it take before the whole story is told?