This series explores the relationship between culture and nature. The images arise from close observation of our connection to the natural world and serve as a visual investigation of its botanical wonders. The prints — most depicting solitary trees from different geographical regions — highlight their distinctive features and include captions with their scientific names. These Latin names reflect our enduring desire to make sense of, and impose order on, the natural world. In these prints, that same impulse extends toward a reflection on how centuries of accumulated knowledge, together with recent scientific discoveries, reveal the profound impact of human activity on our planet’s fragile ecosystem.

Eduardo Fausti

SELECTED PORTRAITS

These are portraits of people I know personally or have met during my travels. In some cases, the circumstances of our encounters inspired me to portray them in the medium most familiar to my visual language — mezzotint — which is also the earliest printmaking process historically used for portraiture.

For several years I have explored the human portrait, depicting the distinct qualities that make each subject unique. My intent has been to reach beyond physical likeness. Rather than presenting a literal depiction, I aim to evoke a particular psychological state — a mood or emotional presence that has the power to captivate.

I have found in the mezzotint an almost perfect medium for capturing these subtle variations of expression. Across different portraits, I often push the tonal range toward the lightest or darkest halftones to emphasize the shifting nuances of mood — sensations that, when carefully revealed, feel both intimate and universal. In this case, the tones are purposely pushed toward the lighter range.

In this portrait, I depict the face of a woman I encountered in Myanmar. Her facial makeup is common among women and young men alike. The yellowish-golden paste, made by grinding the root of the Thanaka tree with water, is applied to the face with a flat brush and serves as natural protection from the sun. This long-standing cultural tradition is also considered a cultural and fashion tradition.

Eduardo Fausti