“HAPPY NEW YEAR” by Marco Saroldi at Centre d’Art

What do you get when you mix a seasoned photographer, theatrical flair, and nearly four decades of festive mischief? HAPPY NEW YEAR by Marco Saroldi – part photo exhibit, part autobiography, and entirely the cheekiest holiday tradition around.

Marco’s exhibition is a time capsule stocked with wit, reflection, and just a sprinkle of glitter. For 38 years, he’s sent out New Year’s cards that go beyond clichéd fonts and champagne flutes. Each card is a self-portrait – not stiff smiles, but social commentary on politics, tech, and the absurdity of being human.

It all started in 1986 as a crafty way to dodge phone calls. Saroldi snapped a photo with his girlfriend, sent it off, and turned a holiday chore into nearly 40 years of visual storytelling – festive and brilliant.

Since then, his playful portraits have evolved into elaborate scenes reflecting modern anxieties and joys. From clutching a cluster of smartphones with the multi-armed grace of a deity to poking fun at consumerism, Saroldi leaves no sacred cow un-photographed. Take Venus in Oil (2012), for example – a biting reimagining of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Here, Marco’s Venus emerges from the sea not in soft pastels, but cloaked in crude oil. Accompanied by oil-slicked pelicans, it’s an image that replaces beauty with environmental devastation, all the while playfully mimicking the language of luxury advertisements. “Give your skin new smoothness,” the piece teases – a revisited moisturizer campaign.

Smart, festive, and just irreverent enough to make you wonder why you haven’t sent your own ironic holiday card yet, HAPPY NEW YEAR stands out with its humour and surprising depth. Marco reminds us that ringing in the new year needs less pressure and more play – a camera, a little mischief, and plenty of laughter.