Italian photographer Claudia Fuggetti (1993) consistently explores the relationship between nature, technology, and human perception in her work. Her creations can often be interpreted as visual diaries, revealing the hidden stories of people and places. She began photographing as a teenager, and in 2010, at just 17 years old, she presented her first solo exhibition in her hometown of Taranto. Since then, she has participated in numerous international exhibitions, most recently at Paris Photo, where her works were showcased by Camara Oscura Galeria del Arte.

Fuggetti draws inspiration from artists such as Richard Mosse and John Divola, whose experimental visual languages have affirmed her belief that photography, when combined with painterly, graphic, and digital elements, can open new horizons of perception. This experimentation is not an end in itself; rather, it emphasizes the intertwining of reality and imagination. Her images simultaneously document and evoke dreamlike states, conveying both the regenerative power and fragility of nature.

The central theme of Metamorphosis is the relationship between the human body and nature. The images often possess a dreamlike and mystical quality, transcending the boundaries of reality and emphasizing the enigmatic nature of transformation. This symbolic framework suggests that identity is in constant flux and that human existence is closely intertwined with the surrounding world. In the series, the human figures do not dominate the landscape; rather, through their contemplative presence, they allow themselves to be shaped by the environment—a gesture that also opens up philosophical dimensions. Thus, the Metamorphosis series places our relationship with nature at its core, as Fuggetti examines how the distance has emerged in which nature is no longer perceived as a living medium but as a backdrop, decoration, or consumable spectacle.

The seventeen photographs on view at the PaperLab Gallery do not offer ready-made answers but rather a quiet invitation to contemplate. Fuggetti aims for the viewers to rediscover their inner connection with nature and to dwell in that symbolic space where the landscape is not merely an environment but an extension of human existence.

László Baki

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Claudia Fuggetti: Metamorphosis (2024)

Metamorphosis represents the historical period we are living in, a phase of transition and change that concerns not only us but also, above all, nature. Quoting the ecological philosopher David Abram:

"I think it is useful to approach the issue of the ecological crisis as a crisis of perception, a crisis in the way we experience, with our bodies, sounds, smells, the world around us. It seems that we no longer perceive forests, mountains, rivers as living as we do."

The project invites viewers to reconsider nature as a living entity. Chromatic interventions in the photographs symbolize the presence of life that persists even in adverse environmental conditions. However, artificial colors simultaneously highlight the consumption of natural resources: reality is perceived as manifold and changeable, fragmented and limited. Human presence is suspended, contemplative, and meditative, in an attempt to establish a new connection with the natural elements.

The symbolism of colors expresses the regenerative and pulsating potential at the heart of the Earth, constructing new imagery. Amid the challenges of the Anthropocene, nature demonstrates an innate capacity for evolution and metamorphosis.

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