Wildlife/Animals nominee

This photographic series comes from my long journey in Australia and Asia between 2017-2018. Some of them were taken in the wild nature, others in natural national parks. The whole series represents animals depicted as kind of animate sculptures.

I'm very interested in the details and the contrast between pure light and shadows. I would like to induce in the audience a feeling of calm, mystery and silence, in some way a kind of suspension of time. Aesthetics play always a very important role in my works, becoming also in this case a form of contemplation.

"I love the way an image or a video clip can capture unexpected and sometimes mysterious aspects of things. From the unspoiled nature to the smallest objects of our every daily life, everything can assume a new meaning for the viewer, when images go through the artistic process. This is what drives my inspiration to create."

During his art education the artist had the opportunity to experiment with different art-media. At the "Academy of Fine Arts of Rome" he studied set-design and learned how to master techniques such as painting and drawing.

His artworks explore various reality of daily life and natural environments. Many of them induce in the audience a feeling of calmness but also uncertainty and mystery. Aesthetics play also a very important role in his work, becoming in some cases a form of contemplation.

Valerio Figuccio is very intrigued by the installation process, especially how an artwork can relate to the exhibition space and how it can be shown. "I think it's very important to create a connection between the viewer and the space in which the work is exhibited."