Raphael Mazzucco
Raphael Mazzucco | Grass Roots| 2023
Raphael’s illustrious career reads like a Who’s Who of art, photography and fashion. After creating imagery for the likes of Vogue, Marie Claire and Vanity Fair, he has turned his aesthetic to fine art.
Inspiration
Raphael Mazzucco's visual narrative captures the human form against a backdrop of startling landscapes that span the continents, from Icelandic glaciers to African wildlife and Vietnamese rice paddies. By layering paint, photography, and hand-lettered text, Raphael takes viewers on a documentary-style journey through geographic and emotional terrains.
The artist honed his craft in Italy, France, Amsterdam and New York. His projects have included an artwork and photo essay book with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and celebrity portraiture of Benicio del Toro, Matt Damon and Susan Sarandon. In 2018, he released his first-ever collector’s edition book, The Never-Ending Summer.
After moving to the wilderness of Connecticut, USA, Raphael was inspired to create his Gaia collection, which takes its title from the Greek goddess of nature. This breathtaking selection of hand-embellished limited edition and original works layers natural elements such as flowers and leaves with classical imagery and portraiture. "Working on Gaia felt like going through my old diaries," explains Raphael. "All of these particular images hold great meaning and memory for me. My last collection was photographed and created during the springtime before the pandemic, focussing on beauty, warmth and the vibrant colours of nature. This collection was created over the winter months during COVID, which gave me the time to deep dive into my archives and rediscover all these special pieces."
The first instalment of Raphael's Grass Roots series followed the internationally acclaimed artist as he journeyed back through 25 years of memories from the far reaches of the Mother Continent. The second instalment of Grass Roots takes its inspiration from Raphael's travels in Kenya and up the Amazon in Brazil.
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Inside the world of Raphael Mazzucco
Raphael's travels encompass every iconic habitat imaginable, from the salt flats of South America to the majesty of the Serengeti.
His 2017 Exposure collection saw the artist transform a 2000 sq ft New Jersey shipping dock container into a darkroom. Intertwining cutting-edge photography with Japanese flora and old-school film development, the body of work simultaneously embraces the past and speaks to the future of his ever-evolving aesthetic.
In 2018, he released The Never-Ending Summer, a collection of stunning original pieces and his first-ever collector's edition book. Featuring behind-the-scenes photography and memoirs from some of his closest confidants, it provides an intimate glimpse into the world of Raphael Mazzucco and was exhibited at the prestigious Chase Contemporary gallery during New York Fashion Week.
His Gaia collection was created in Raphael’s outdoor studio and was exposed to the weather to develop like a photograph under the sun. 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 natural elements like feathers, flowers and leaves. His latest collection, Grass Roots 2023, features an exciting new colour palette based on travels in Africa and in the Amazon.
Raphael says: “Anywhere and everywhere can be an inspiration. I’m fascinated by how these interactions come together and spontaneously blossom.”
From the blog
Raphael Mazzucco's stunning new Grass Roots collection
Curator's Picks | turning the focus onto Raphael Mazzucco
Magazines and brochures
Raphael Mazzucco | Grass Roots | 2023
Internationally-acclaimed artist and photographer Raphael Mazzucco presents a spectacular collection based on his immersive journeys in South America and Africa, with a vibrant new colour palette.
Raphael Mazzucco | Grass Roots
Characterised by juxtaposition between wildlife and fashion photography, Raphael Mazzucco's introspective collection Grass Roots sees the artist delve into his 25-year-old photographic archive to create a series of unforgettable artworks which epitomize his love and respect for the Mother Continent.
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