Steidlville

Guido Mocafico is neither a scientist nor a collector of curiosities, but a photographer and lover of art who partakes of the vocabulary and the colors of nature. He regards jellyfish, snakes, and tarantulas as the creation of an unparalleled artist. A strange sensation emanates from his images, which combine a vision of the unknown with a large dose of mystery — and fear, for these animals secrete a toxic substance that when injected by sting or bite can, in certain cases, cause death. With just the right amount of distance, Mocafico offers a contemporary view of the demiurge, showing us that we live in a world of illusion.

Medusa In Greek mythology, the Medusa sees with such intensity that whatever crosses her gaze becomes petrified ... much like the eye of the photographer armed with a camera. These are a species of photographs beyond the norm — where is the head? where are the eyes? the sex? — at the border of geometric abstraction, completely unrelated to the rest of the animal world.

Serpens What animal has inspired as much dread, as many legends, indeed, as much revulsion and terror as the snake? Demon, divinity, sacred animal protector, ancestor — the nature and importance of this creature’s role has changed throughout history. Among the 2,700 known species, few are dangerous, let alone lethal, to humans, but prejudices run deep. These images look at this family of animals with a mysterious biology, and of which new species are still being discovered.

Aranea Scientific rationality would have it otherwise, but nothing has changed: spiders, small and large, continue to inspire fear in us — fear of touching their silky abdomens and, above all, their fangs, used for attack and defense and filled with deadly venom! The bêtes noires of our imagination…