

Dark and Deprived Necklaces
2023
Suspended between adornment and allegory, "Dark and Deprived Necklaces" arrives as a silver-plated chain presented with a red ribbon in a custom velvet jewelry box, an object that carries the weight of both personal ornament and symbolic prop. The work traces its origins to the costumes designed for Diane Severin Nguyen's film "IF REVOLUTION IS A SICKNESS" (2022), a moving image work that probes themes of desire, transformation, and political longing through a heightened visual language. By migrating an element of that cinematic universe into a wearable, collectible edition, Nguyen collapses the boundary between film set and lived body, asking what it means to carry the logic of a film on one's skin. Nguyen has developed a practice that moves fluidly across photography, video, and now object-making, consistently interrogating how identity and artifice are constructed through surface and spectacle. The necklace functions not simply as merchandise or memorabilia but as a transmission of the film's emotional and conceptual atmosphere, condensed into a form that can be worn, gifted, or kept sealed within its velvet enclosure. The tension between display and concealment built into the jewelry box mirrors Nguyen's broader interest in what is revealed and withheld within images of femininity and power. Produced in an edition of 75 and signed by the artist, "Dark and Deprived Necklaces" offers collectors an intimate entry point into a body of work that has attracted serious institutional attention. Its modest dimensions, measuring 45.7 centimeters in diameter, belie the density of meaning the piece carries, making it a quietly demanding addition to any collection engaged with contemporary artists working at the intersection of cinema, fashion, and critical theory.
- Medium
- Silver plated necklace with red ribbon in a custom velvet jewelry box
- Signed
- Yes
- Location
- Renaissance Society, Chicago, IL
- Spotted At
- Gallery · Renaissance SocietyView on map
For Sale — $65
More by Diane Severin Nguyen



Start the Discussion
Request access to join the discussion