Acclaimed artist Diane Fox, returns to the SRISA Gallery with a thought-provoking photography exhibition that invites audiences to examine the intricate relationship between humanity and the natural world through “Natura Morta,” curated by Rebecca Olsen and Alexandra Rojas.

Inspired by historical paintings observed during a visit to the Uffizi Gallery, Fox’s “Natura Morta” presents a series of confrontational animal portraits captured on a larger-than-life scale. Each portrait seeks to elevate the animal’s status, similar to historical portrait paintings of the aristocracy displayed within the museum. “These photographs ask the viewer to confront the animal’s history as a living being and their subsequent treatment in death,” Fox explains. “It is this dichotomy between the real and the unreal, the version of life portrayed and the actuality of death, which finds me both attracted and repelled.” While many animals appear remarkably lifelike, closer inspection reveals subtle details, such as cracks in the faces of aged taxidermied specimens or the inclusion of mythological creatures like the jackalope, subtly reminding viewers of their taxidermied nature.

May 15—June 13 2024

SRISA Gallery, Via San Gallo 53/R, 50129, Firenze