Sina Souza’s newest exhibition, simply entitled Sina Souza opened at the Influence Photography Studio, on Sunday January 25th.

Occupying both floors of the brick-built studio, a part of the Influence Art Gallery Community run by MacKena Soothsayer and Yvan Slade, the exhibition features works by Sina which may well have been seen at other exhibitions of her work – but this doesn’t make them any the less powerful or reduce their emotional impact in any way.

Involved in Second Life since 2012, Sina has had her pieces exhibited widely since then, and has worked in collaboration with other artists such as Bryn Oh and Sabbian Paine. Her work is largely focused on life studies, and sometimes touches on matters of identity. All of her work is shot in Second Life, with PhotoShop used to created the finished pieces.

As noted above, there is an emotional depth to Sina’s work which can be challenging – or at least thought provoking in sentiment, something which tends to draw me all the more to it. I’ve included two particular examples of the power of her work to evoking feelings: Remember Me speaks powerfully of a lost love or kinship; the loneliness felt on the departure of one held dear, and the longing that they may still remember; and In the Crosshair of a Nation, which may not make entirely comfortable viewing, but also carries with it a powerful message of perception.

While not deliberately intended to be a retrospective, the exhibition at Influence does come somewhat close to being so, even if only very informally. Certainly, if you haven’t encountered her work before it serves and an excellent introduction, with the studio space serving as the ideal environment in which to gain an better acquaintance.

Recommended.

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