Inferno

Gui Taccetti’s photographs are rooted in his own life story. They explore the difficulty he experienced coming to terms with his queerness as a young man in Brazil, where Catholicism remains a powerful force. His Inferno is not a literal location, a realm of the afterlife where the wicked are punished, but a figure for the anxiety felt by him, and by others who have wrestled with differences frowned upon or openly denounced by the Church. Hell is a place on earth. It is—to paraphrase Jean-Paul Sartre—produced by the judgments that others impose on us, and that we, in turn, impose on ourselves.

Taccetti’s images are complex in their investigation of sexuality and sexual discovery. They play with the slippage between otherness and familiarity, evoking the simultaneous scariness and allure of queerness to those who have yet to settle into it.

Like the artist’s 2017 series, Seraphim, which centred on ‘piss-play’, Inferno hints at the ways in which activities otherwise associated with pain or degradation can be transformed, becoming not only sources of pleasure and expressions of intimacy, but also aspects of a kind of queer ritual.

The exhibition:
Inferno the exhibition has been developed by Taccetti in collaboration with Mike Mizrahi (Inside Out Productions). The venue, the Hopetoun Alpha, is significant for a number of reasons. Its name is appropriate, evoking hope and—since alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet—the possibility of new beginnings. As a deconsecrated church and an impressive example of neoclassical architecture, the building resonates with the thematic and aesthetic content of the photographs. Its scale has allowed for the development of an immersive installation, extending on their theatrical qualities. The location, near Karangahape Road, ties the exhibition in to the queer community in Tāmaki Makaurau, which has provided the artist with encouragement and support for several years.

In order to acknowledge his love and respect for the community, Taccetti and his whanaunga have developed a series of activations and events. A public opening will provide an initial opportunity for celebration and conviviality. A ball organised by the voguing collective House of AITU in collaboration with FAFSWAG will acknowledge the importance of self-expression and visibility for queer people living in Aotearoa, particularly people of colour and trans and non-binary people. A talk on the theme of anxiety and mental health will also be held, to provide people with an opportunity to learn and to find support.