Presence

People and moments captured in classic black-and-white portraits

Christine Turnauer is a seeker, a wanderer between the worlds. She has been interested in the individuality and diversity of people since her childhood. For her, they are “like snowflakes.” We all know what it is like to intuitively understand a person, to comprehend someone at a glance, as lovers do. On her extended journeys Turnauer tries to capture this moment of absolute presence in her photographs. Without artificial lighting and in front of a neutral, preexisting background, each one of her touching black-and-white portraits represents an irrevocable encounter. Occasionally, one also sees the back of a person’s neck, a part of the body that signals vulnerability. Great trust and unconditional mutual respect form both the foundation for Turnauer’s artistic work and the core of the incomparable radiance of her portraits of people from very different cultures.

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