The New Yorker, January 11, 2010
by Vince Aletti
"Winter Stories" continues Ventura's imaginary recreation of prewar Italy, in photographs of wonderfully evocative sets and figures he constructs himself. Because every detail of these sites is meticulously realized, the work is as seductive as a magic act; you know it's all an elaborate fake, but you're enjoying it too much to locate the flaws. Ventura takes us to a small-town carnival, complete with sword-swallower, fire-eater, juggler, and clowns. The settings, with their pale, weathered color, may be dour — this fairy tale is grounded in some harsh reality — but marvelous things happen here, such as the appearrance of a bird-headed man and the levitation of a balloon seller (note the snow on the soles of his shoes).