Handimals - Live Performance by Guido Daniele

Mila Tenaglia (January 22, 2015)

24 photos of what appear to be exotic animals are currently being shown at the suggestive top of the Rock of the Rockefeller Center. ''Handimals" marks the United States debut of the body painting master who, with extraordinary technique, transforms the hands in exquisite animals.

"Handimals", the exhibition open until January 25, is attracting all kinds of people and media: students, journalists, artists and the local New York television. They're all intrigued by Guido Daniele's talent and peculiar skills. Last week's opening saw a live performance of the artist transforming a hand in an eagle.

Guido uses human hands like a canvas through which he conveys his sense of solidarity towards animals. The unusual poses, the crossed hands, the arms arranged
in a certain way, make it difficult to distinguish what's real and what is not. The body painter shows great sensitivity towards nature and animals, and through his work, that he photographs himself, he aims at sending a strong message to humanity.

"I use the colors of the Japanese theatre, mixed with water, without glue. The common ones would be poisonous to human skin" he tells the audience while he meticulously paints the model's arm and hand.

Guido's photos are illuminated by the lights surrounding the Rockefeller Center.
Colourful fish, lively and extraordinarily realistic looking dogs,
elephants, pitons...his animals are true masterpieces.

" We have brain and heart to make decisions and hands to build
and destroy. Having a positive or negative attitude towards our planet is entirely up to us".

It all started with a small airbrush found in a drawer that, like a just opened Pandora's box, marked the artistic life of the master. He traveled the world from a young age, encountering all sorts of animals and studying Tibetan miniatures in 1972.

"In 1985 my agent was representing the best photographers , like Helmut Newton, Fabrizio Ferri,
Giampaolo Barbieri. It was the time the backdrop painting, hyper realistic set designs for television and cinema started to make their appearance in America. In this growth phase I found myself in the right place at the right time, so I started working in advertisement"

This exhibition is dedicated to Jane Goodall, great friend of the artist and considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees and best known for her 55 years study of social family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania.