American Beef is a collective visual research project by Lorenzo Bacci and Marcel Swann.

It explores the transformation of violence into a regulated spectacle through an analysis of the “Streetbeefs” phenomenon.
Observed over the course of two years in Virginia, this reality reveals the complexity of the United States as a fragmented, heterogeneous mosaic. American Beef emerges as a constellation of dissonant elements, shaping a narrative prism through which the deep-seated contradictions of the contemporary American landscape are exposed.

Founded in Harrisonburg (Virginia) by Chris “Scarface” Wilmore, the fight club offers a model where violence is confined to a controlled arena with the specific goal of resolving interpersonal conflicts without the use of firearms. This creates a paradoxical dynamic where violence becomes both the problem and its own solution. In this context, the human body replaces the weapon as the primary instrument of conflict resolution. Far from signifying anarchy, physical violence is elevated to a codified ritual, anchored in a framework of ethical rules and mutual respect.

Technology plays a crucial role in the spectacularization of these fights. Many participants do not merely fight, they perform. They lean into aesthetics and choreography, hallmarks of a society deeply shaped by digital culture. As Streetbeefs’ popularity grows, the “beefs” (interpersonal conflicts) are increasingly joined by amateur athletes who enter the ring to perform carefully constructed personas.

In this ecosystem, an online presence is a way to affirm one’s existence. The fight becomes an experience that must be shared, viewed, and validated by an audience. This process highlights a tension between the desire to disappear from physical reality and the urgent need to exist in the virtual world, a continuous dialectic between visibility and anonymity. Beyond merely marking the end of a conflict, the video uploaded online becomes a permanent digital record, a certification of resolution that transforms a fleeting event into a permanent archive with a global reach.

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Cover and Jacket design: Paul Sahre
Images layout: Federico Manias
Handwriting: Lorenzo Bonatti Aka Jimmy Rah
Essay: Prof. Giuseppe Previtali
Special thanks to: Christopher “Scarface” Williams and Streetbeefs

Size: 21x28cm
136 pages, 150 gsm
Stapled paperback
Uncoated 300 gsm cover, offset printed
Dust jacket offset printed, glossy laminated on the outside
First printed in March 2026

American Beef
Lorenzo Bacci, Marcel Swann
published by King Koala Press, 2026
ISBN 9791281835313