Beach & disco : Massimo Vitali / introduction by James Lingwood ; essay by Jon Bird ; encounter between: Massimo Vitali and Bernard Millet ; [editor: Patrick Remy ; translations and proof-reading

Published by Steidl in 2000, Beach & Disco stands as one of the seminal monographs documenting the early large-format landscape photography of Massimo Vitali. The collection focuses on the Italian public spaces that defined his transition from commercial cinematography to fine art photography, specifically the sprawling coastal beaches and crowded discotheques of Italy. By utilizing a high-vantage point and a large-format camera, Vitali sought to capture the collective behavior of crowds, documenting how people interact within leisure environments while simultaneously maintaining a clinical, detached perspective on their anonymity.

The book design and editorial direction, helmed by Patrick Remy, emphasize the panoramic detail intrinsic to Vitali's process. With contributions from James Lingwood and Jon Bird, the publication contextualizes Vitali’s work within the tradition of social documentary and contemporary art photography, situating his subjects as both individual participants and integral components of larger, structured systems. Upon its release, the volume was well-received for its crisp printing quality, which effectively rendered the expansive, high-resolution aesthetic that became a signature of his career.