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Susana Diniz: Taciturn Saturn and the Noises Beyond

A Parallel Planets piece by Unknown

Parallel Planets presents Susana Diniz
in Taciturn Saturn and the Noises Beyond
Story by Nicole Lane

Mentioned: the occult, creepy awesomeness, and fine art photography

* * *

I am drawn to the unseen, the imaginative and the manipulation of reality. Personally, these works of art, literature and film appeal to me; I want to feel uncomfortable. I yearn for the mysterious and a connection to the unknown. With these interests expressed, it is blatantly obvious why I was so drawn to Taciturn Saturn, the alter ego of Susana Diniz.

Susana or “Taciturn Saturn”, as I will call her in this article, lives and works in Portugal. She has a strong affinity for inhabitants in the woods as well as the countryside where she gains inspiration for breaking boundaries within our current reality. Taciturn Saturn’s photographs utilize delusion and the occult to express the loss of an entity or the introduction of an impalpable presence. Her work raises questions of good vs. evil and the unforeseen circumstances that may arise for the subject in the images.

Many of her pieces feature a static figure, unmoving and still, as the camera also captures the environment; mostly dark, deluded and abstract. I feel myself more drawn to her black and white images which appear out-of-focus and aged. An image that I am particularly drawn to is a photograph with a seated subject who has some sort of paper or leaf in front of their face as if they are hiding from the photographer.

There seem to be limited objects within the room which create confusion and curiosity for myself as the viewer. Where is this individual? Whats in the closest directly behind them? The entire process of me looking at this image is a mystery story in the making. Additionally, this piece reminds me of photographs from the late 1800s which are now known as “The Hidden Mother” images. While holding their young children for a minute long exposure, the Victorian mothers would veil their presence with fabric to blend into a chair, couch or wall.

The original intent was to trick the viewer into believing the mother was not present, however, for the modern eye it is far too obvious. This mother-child portraiture keeps coming back to me when I look at Taciturn Saturn’s work. The identities are sometimes concealed (these are my favorites) and the ghostly image seems to be caught by the photographer--as if the camera has interrupted their space. The narrative constructed in these photographs creates a sinister and uneasy perception for the viewer. What happens after the photograph is taken? Why altercations do the photographer and the subject attend to after this documented scene? Since the subject seems to have their space invaded, how does one carry on after the shutter is pressed?

Taciturn Saturn does not simply stop at black and white. She also utilizes color in her work as well. The hues are dulled and the contrast is limited in these pieces--their softness creates a more gentle atmosphere. Some are entitled, “On The Run” “Misantropia” and “(Our) Nature Destroyed (our) Home” which remind me as the viewer to continue to question the photograph and inquire about this so-called “softness” which is implicated through the technical choices.

Full of a need to investigate further and curious enough to stay updated with Taciturn Saturn’s work, I am interested with how her narrative will continue through her work. The interweaving between aesthetic choices and personal message have hooked me on to this photographic artist and I’m thrilled to see how she will eerily carry onward into her own alternate universe.

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More from Susana Diniz

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