Guido Mocafico
Italian still life photographer Guido Mocafico was born in Switzerland; he currently divides his time between his home in Switzerland and his studio in Paris.
Guido Mocafico has become recognized as a contemporary master of still life. His interest in this most classic of art forms started early whilst studying photography at Vevey School in Switzerland. He initially focused on commercial and advertising projects for brands such as Chanel, Clinique, Dior, Gucci, Armani and YSL. His images have been published in numerous magazines over the years including Vogue US, Vogue France, Men’s Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, The Face, and Wallpaper, amongst others.
In his personal practice, Mocafico draws from highly symbolical elements of decay in Western culture such as flowers, snakes or spiders, blurring the line between still life paintings and photographic immortalisations of pulsating jeopardy. In the tradition of the allegorical art of Vanitas, Mocafico confronts desire and death, eros and thanatos always accompanied by an undertone of superficiality and lure.
Mocafico’s work has been exhibited internationally since 1999, including venues in London, Paris, Munich and Tokyo. Various books have been published comprising his personal projects: Venenum (2005); Medusa (2006); Serpens (2007); Movement (2008) and Stilleven (2012), published by Steidl.
-
Elaphe Longissima, 2003 -
Lampropeltis Mexicana, 2003
-
Morelia Viridis, 2003
-
Sistrurus Miliarius Barbouri, 2003
-
Thamnophis Sirtalis Tetrataenia, 2003
-
Guido Mocafico: Serpens
6 Jun - 9 Aug 2024Hamiltons is pleased to announce the first exhibition with Guido Mocafico in eight years. The show comprises eleven large format, unique, pigment prints from Mocafico’s highly acclaimed Serpens series. What...Read more -
Photo London
18 - 21 May 2017Read more -
Photo London
Gallery Stand + Don McCullin 18 - 22 May 2016Hamiltons Gallery, in association with Photo London, was also the sponsor of 'Don McCullin', an exhibition dedicated to 2016's Master of Photography. Don's lifetime work spans 60 years; this exhibition...Read more -
Guido Mocafico: Blaschka
18 Mar - 27 May 2016Originally from Bohemia, but based in Dresden, the Blaschkas were glassmakers working from the mid-1800s until the 1930s. The masterpieces, created over both their lifetimes, are handmade out of clear,...Read more
-
Photo London LA
1 - 3 May 2015Highlights included a number of works by iconic photographer Helmut Newton. The selection ranged from Newton’s well-known and unique Polaroids to his gelatin silver prints, including the oversized vintage print...Read more -
Paris Photo
13 - 16 Nov 2014A particular highlight was a room dedicated to the platinum prints resulting from the extraordinary sixty-year career of one of the 20th century’s pre-eminent fashion and portrait photographers, Horst P....Read more -
PAD
15 - 19 Oct 2014A particular highlight was five rare, large format colour prints from Robert Mapplethorpe’s Flowers series. Each highly stylized image displays Mapplethorpe’s understanding of light and composition and his exquisite use...Read more -
Masterworks
An exhibition of works by Modern Masters of Photography 15 May - 6 Jun 2014Guido Mocafico, Naja Haje Legionis, 2003 © Guido MocaficoRead more
-
Online Exhibition - Guido Mocafico: Venenum
3 Apr - 13 May 2014Photographed across the world, each of these venomous creatures are portrayed against a black backdrop, creating intense and dramatic 'portraits'. Serpens consists of a vast collection of snakes, including vipers...Read more -
Paris Photo
14 - 17 Nov 2013A selection of Roger Ballen's new series Asylum, these black and white images confront the viewer to think beyond the apparent. There is little human presence in these works, compared...Read more -
PAD
16 - 20 Oct 2013An important highlight was the first exposition of Guido Mocafico's new series Blaschka, succeeding his Medusa, Nature Morte and well-known Serpens series. Mocafico has had a long fascination with the...Read more -
Masterpiece
27 Jun - 3 Jul 2013Significant highlights included an oversized print of Don McCullin's Christian woman with hand grenade, Holiday Inn, Beirut, 1976. First printed in this large format in 2013, this harrowing real-time photograph...Read more
-
Paris Photo LA
25 - 28 Apr 2013Among the highlights was a rare oversized print of Newton's Big Nude XII, from the famous series, and a selection of unique colour polaroids which he shot during his time...Read more -
Paris Photo
9 - 13 Nov 2011Read more -
Masterpiece
29 Jun - 5 Jul 2011Booth D5, South Grounds, Royal Hospital Chelsea, LondonRead more -
Guido Mocafico: Guns and Roses
23 Jan - 20 Feb 2010Guns concentrates on the beauty and technical feat of the man-made object, delighting in the sleek design and functionality of the weapons which are in themselves works of art set...Read more
-
Paris Photo
14 - 18 Nov 2007Hamiltons 2007 presentation at Paris Photo contained important work by modern masters of photography such as Richard Avedon, Horst P. Horst, Helmut Newton and Irving Penn. Highlights from the booth...Read more -
Guido Mocafico: Movement
2 May - 2 Jun 2007Movement concentrates on the concept of time. Whilst time was originally measured by astronomical and seasonal movements, here Mocafico explores the precise movement of a mechanical system to measure time....Read more
