The Hidden Facesof Venice
March 3, 2026 – April 6, 2026
During his time in Italy, photographer Nelson Alvarez immersed himself in one of Europe’s most iconic traditions: the Carnival of Venice. Captured in 1998, this series goes beyond documentation, revealing a world suspended between history and performance.
A dramatic palette of deep reds, velvety blacks, ceremonial whites, and luminous golds evokes the grandeur of Venetian baroque culture. Light sculpts fabric, gesture, and mask, while shadow preserves mystery. Each image feels deliberate and painterly, echoing the emotional intensity of classical European portraiture.
The mask — central to the Venetian carnival — becomes both concealment and revelation. It obscures identity while amplifying presence. Behind lace, porcelain, and gilded ornament, figures seem to exist outside of time, blurring the boundary between contemporary subject and historical echo.
Carnival is theatre, ritual, and illusion. Through Alvarez’s lens, each subject stands poised between intimacy and performance, inviting the viewer into a quiet exchange of gazes and gestures.
Printed from carefully preserved slide scans, these works retain the richness of classical photography while offering a timeless visual experience. The Hidden Faces of Venice invites us to reflect on identity, transformation, and the masks we wear — both seen and unseen.
For inquiry about any of the artwork please click the button below:
Nelson Alvarez
Volto in White and Black
Digital Print from slide scan, series 2 of 5
53×40 $2,500.00 framed
$2100 unframed
Nelson Alvarez
Volto in Grey and Blue
Digital Print from slide scan, series 2 of 5
37×26”
$1,200.00 framed
$950 unframed
Nelson Alvarez
Volto in Grey and Magenta
Digital Print from slide scan, series 2 of 5
37×26”
$1,200.00 framed
$950 unframed
Nelson Alvarez
Volto in Gold, Black, and Red
Digital Print from slide scan, series 1 of 5
37×26”
$1,200.00 framed
Nelson Alvarez
Colombina in Gold Leaf
Digital Print from slide scan, series 1 of 5
23×23”
$1,000.00 framed
$800 unframed
Nelson Alvarez
Le Tre Facce in Gold Leaf
Digital Print from slide scan, series 1 of 5
23×23”
$1,000.00 framed
$800 unframed
Nelson Alvarez
Volto in Gold Leaf
Digital Print from slide scan, series 1 of 5
23×23”
$1,000.00 framed
$800 unframed
Nelson Alvarez
City: I Heard Your Silence 1, Certosa di Pavia
Digital Print from slide scan, series 1 of 5
37×26”
$1,200.00 framed
$950 unframed
Nelson Alvarez
City: I Heard Your Silence 2, Brickell
Digital Print from slide scan, series 1 of 5
37×26”
$1,200.00 framed
$950 unframed