Hand Art

Guido Daniele's "Hand Art" is a product of deep, and deeply skilled playfulness. It has to be. There's something magic about how he manages to transform the human form into something close to pure illusion. It's what one (especially this one) might call an act of "slight-of-hand."

As you view these photos (caution: if you go deeper into Daniele's portfolio you will come to images that could easily be considered unsafe for workplaces in these United States, hence, I most proprietarilly recommend this site), you will find it a bit difficult to get beyond the faithfulness of the illusions. Upon a second, or perhaps third viewing, you'll begin to see the hands beneath the paint, how they are positioned, how the fingers are folded and extended, lending shape to the illusion. And you can almost imagine Daniele sitting at some cafe, playing with his hands, over and over, shaping them, superimposing his visions on to them. And begin to appreciate how this art, like so many, was born of play, hours and days and years of play. And maybe you can find in all this wonder one more reason, one more permission for you, yes, yourself, to play.


from Bernie DeKoven, funsmith