GAIA COLLECTION

RAPHAEL MAZZUCCO

​

From the Greek word γαια (gaia). In Greek mythology,

Gaia was the Mother Earth goddess.

Sometimes, all we need is for the world to slow

down so that we can see, and appreciate, the beauty

around us. Leaving behind his hectic life as a fashion

photographer in NewYork to plant his family’s roots

in rural Connecticut, USA, Raphael Mazzucco used

the ear th as his canvas and let his fusion of nature,

por traiture and photography grow.

“Living on a small farm with animals and colourful birds

like my peacocks brings a sense of grounding,” says

Raphael. “I feel like I’m living a life from so long ago, so

different from the city life I came from.”

The wilderness surrounding his home and studio is

cer tainly steeped in history: the state was considered

the ‘hear tbeat’ of the American Revolution, and the

Native American tribes who changed the landscape

forever live on through the azure lakes and dense

forests.

This sense of spiritual kinship is weaved into each of

the ar tworks from the Gaia collection.The flowers, tree

bark and feathers that adorn these powerful female

warriors are a snapshot of history, born from the

families who tended to their farms and gave back to

the earth.

His own travels across the continents – from the

plains of Africa toVietnamese rice paddies – have

yielded a bountiful harvest.The original archival prints

are hand-embellished with natural elements from

around the world, connecting all of Mother Nature’s

magic. Created in Raphael’s outdoor studio, they were

exposed to the weather, developing like a photograph

under the sun’s gaze.

“Anywhere and everywhere can be an inspiration,”

explains Raphael. “Beauty is where you want to find it.

I’m fascinated by how these interactions come together

and spontaneously blossom.”

Rustic textures are juxtaposed by daubs of colourful

paint and geometric forms neatly plotted out in string

like the coordinates of a map.Viewers are invited to

navigate their journey through the layers of classical

imagery, nostalgic photography and occasional,

unexpected, glimpse of modern life.

As the second release from the Gaia series, which was

unveiled at Castle Fine Ar t galleries in 2019 to critical

acclaim, these works are bolder than their predecessors

and are framed for the first time.The collection also

includes two new limited edition prints, both of which

are hand-finished with gold foil and printed on 100%

cotton watercolour paper with a beautiful, unique

texture.

Suspended between past and present, these powerful

creations are a contemplative exploration of the time

missed between the shutter of a camera; they are a

reminder to take a deep breath and just be human.