GA I A RAPHAEL MAZZUCCO
From the Greek word γαια (gaia), a parallel form of γη (ge) meaning ‘earth’. In Greek mythology, Gaia was the Mother Earth goddess.
In the wilderness of the forest in Lebanon, Connecticut, world-renowned photographer Raphael Mazzucco became one with nature. Surrounded by the hooting of owls, powerful fox cries and supernatural light illuminating the trees, he conjured the inspiration for his new Gaia collection.This, he says, is “Mother Earth getting ready to push back”. A nod to history and time, this stunning series of original mixed media pieces demonstrates the strength and beauty of the female form.To bring an organic rawness, each artwork is embellished with elements of nature, including tree bark, foliage, feathers, flowers and sand. Crucially, Raphael set up studio outside, drawing upon his environment and often allowing nature to intervene. He explains: “I see this collection as a very deep part of my life and the way that I live. Out here, the wilderness and open space are bringing me back to nature again. It’s almost like taking a deep breath and feeling beautified. Nature is intertwined within the photography, like it’s grown out of the earth. I’ve used feathers I’ve collected from all over the world.We found a great horned owl who had passed; his feathers are striped and have such a beautiful texture. “One of the pieces also incorporates a bees’ nest, which is graphically stunning.The surrounding fragments are like rice paper and have a gorgeous tissue effect. Sometimes I left the artworks outside so they could be naturally affected by the elements – including the sun and rain – letting nature wash over them.”
Experimenting with new colours and artwork sizes has also been a journey of discovery for Raphael, who in 2018 celebrated 25 years of creating art with his first-ever collector’s edition book, The Never-Ending Summer. He adds: “I use the base photograph as a map to lead me through the image and process.The colours are important; I have muted the tones in the base image and then added all of the layers of paint, resin and materials to make the pieces pop with colour and vibrancy. “I have created two new sizes: one of which is quite small, and a longer one which can be portrait or landscape. I love the little pieces, as these are like little gems that come to life.These images are also cropped in a lot closer, to feel that sense of capturing something just in that moment. Applying resin complements and encases it, almost like a jewellery box.” For an artist who has photographed some of the world’s most beautiful women, it was significant to Raphael to capture the power of femininity. He says: “In this collection, I have seen an importance in painting the band across the eyes.This is not actually to cover, but carries the suggestion of coming off and being broken down. In the same respect, it could be seen as the war paint of Mother Earth getting ready to push back. No matter who you are and what you have, you will always be a human on Earth and that’s powerful.”
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