Lydia’s new digital photographic-works on silk question the way that images of war and terror are used by the media to distort reality.

Venieri’s images explore the juxtaposition of hyper-realistic photographs of war taken from film-stills and the news media with seemingly naïve images of children’s dolls. Positioned, digitally, to fit within the eyes of children’s dolls, the works disarm viewers at first glance, while delivering a potent punch of terror upon further inspection. The serene dolls volunteer themselves to our gaze, beckoning the viewer to approach in an unguarded and vulnerable state.

Images of genocide, suicide bombings, and the devastation caused by the allied bombing of Nagasaki are literally pulled from the headlines of CNN and Fox news. Captured inside the reflections of the haunting gaze of these empty vessels, they create a mysterious relationship between two conspicuously diverse visual worlds.

This bold work opens up the possibilities of technology in a way that echoes both modern genetic science and the uncanny effects of the Surrealists. Continuing her search for the human embodiment of social issues within the constructs of a deceivingly simple vehicle, this series offers an in-depth look at human perception and the dissemination of images and information.

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Video Interview to Lydia Venieri

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