Terza Vita, a third life. This enchanting book delves into the rebirth of interpersonal relationships among adolescents after a two-year compulsory break. Mar Sáez photographs the reappearing residents, and, above all, the yearning young lovers, in sensual, almost dancing attitudes, reflecting the classical images of sculptures and paintings offered up by the eternal city of Rome.
''These nocturnal youth gatherings on the beach of Ostia, days after the pandemic confinement have the same joyful sadness that we observe in the work of two great artists who, previously, have been interested in this same existential reality of early youth, even though they are very different from each other and from our artist: the Kids series of Larry Clark and the early days of Wolfgang Tillmans.''
—Luis Francisco Pérez, art critic
Set against the backdrop of the beaches of Ostia, usually bustling with life and tourism, Sáez presents a visual narrative that juxtaposes the resilience of the city's history with the transient, vulnerable nature of adolescence.
Through her lens, Sáez captures the emotional landscape of young lovers as they navigate the complexities of reconnection and renewal in a transformed world, Third Life – a new reality forged from the remnants of the past and the uncertainties of the present.
''The deep blacks give the photographs a very theatrical sense (the notion of performance seems clearly embedded in the book) and I was also, perhaps idiosyncratically, reminded of Pasolini's films of the adolescent Roman street life.''
—Steve Harp, associate professor, The Art School, DePaul University
Sáez employs LED lighting in a masterful manner, rendering her images as surreal and intimate. The bright, fleeting illumination reveals details that would otherwise remain unseen, bringing to light the deep emotional currents running through her subjects. Expressions emerge from the darkness, revealing a remarkable slice of human emotions.
The body’s language did its job. There was a path the words took, from idea to music, from idea to form: you said “company,” you said “rejection,” you said “desire.” Your identity is in the words that become flesh, that take hold. Moles and marks. To know you, it’s enough simply to feel your rough skin, which tells your story; to see symbols that point to memories – you’ll say “mark” or you’ll say “tattoo” or you’ll say “scar.” After animal nights comes day, breaking its habit. Again: after animal nights comes day, breaking its habit. How many lives? How many possible lives, how many distinct lives? Say “three lives.” Say “about three.” Say which.
—Elena Medel, novelist and poet
Terza Vita: Lido di Ostia Roma is a masterful work and a remarkable collection of photographs accompanied by poetic text written by the well-known Spanish novelist, essayist and poet, Elena Mendel.
Mar Sáez's work has been exhibited internationally, including shows at The Spanish Academy in Rome, The Gabarron Foundation in New York, and f22 foto space in Hong Kong. Her photography has been featured in major international festivals and fairs such as Rencontres d'Arles, Paris Photo, London Art Fair, ARCO and Estampa.
