Damian Szydlo (Neverclock Photography) is pleased to introduce to you the concept of a growing project soon to find its way to the Hamilton/Toronto art scene. Venetia: Humanity is posed to be not only his first true series but his crowning achievement as well. Eight fine art photographs aimed to appear on gallery walls. Employing quality, authentic Venetian masks created by New Orleans' Mask Italia (www.maskitalia.com), the fashions of Toronto's Decadent Designs (www.decadentdesigns.ca) and the hair styling of Hamilton's Carolyn Ferris this series promises to deliver a vision truly unique.

Born of his personal view on humanity and the weight consequence and expectation places upon the soul, the series will attempt to capture perhaps the spirits greatest fantasy. Freedom. The masks will fulfill their classic intention, Venetian masks were historically employed to protect their owners identity during the course of a decadent masquerade party/ball. This would allow for the reveler to behave in a manner that might otherwise ruin his or her reputation, freeing the consequence of identity to ones action and completing a sense of unfettered anonymity. All while allowing him/her to return to mundane life after the fantasy was over. The irony should not be dismissed, that we as a species only truly and wholly become ourselves by becoming something else. Our sense of identity is forged by the responsibility and role placed upon us, our behavior dictated by how others might view us.

The reality of it is that the face we wear, that we present to the world everyday is our mask and the mask becomes our true identity.

After all eight images find completion; they will appear on walls as framed 11x14 photographs. The masks used in the images will be mounted to the frame, leaving the freedom so fleetingly realized as a permanent attachment to the moment. There will also be a limited run of signed prints available for purchase through the artist.

To contact the photographer for more info, interest in posing for or interest on presenting Venetia: Humanity please email neverclock@gmail.com

To join the mailing list for Venetia: Humanity include the initials ML at the beginning of your subject.