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.

CHRISTINE TURNAUER (*1946, Graz), formerly an assistant to the photographer Frank Horvat, has been working as a freelance photographer since 1979. Focusing on black-and-white portrait photography, she has already published two captivating, illustrated books with Hatje Cantz: "Presence" (2014) and "The Dignity of the Gypsies" (2018).

FRANK HORVAT (*1928, Opatija) grew up in Italy and studied at the Brera Academy in Milan. His special eye made him a renowned photojournalist and a famous fashion photographer. He was one of the first to turn to digital photography. His publications include Please Don't Smile (2015) and Photographic Autobiography (2016).