Zazà

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Zazà belongs to an ongoing series titled Natural Sitters, in which individual trees are presented as portraits. By isolating and framing each tree, the works elevate these natural subjects, inviting them to be regarded as distinct individuals with their own presence and identity. The frame functions as both a literal and symbolic device, echoing the conventions of portraiture and encouraging viewers to encounter each tree with the significance often reserved for important human sitters. Each work in the series is accompanied by a fictional biography that intertwines personal experience, observation, and imagination. In this work, the tree is named Zazà, a fictional Florentine frame-maker who supports emerging artists by exhibiting their works in his workshop. The background recalls the Mediterranean Sea where he spent most of his childhood and summers, while the vibrant colours woven through the tree reference the creativity and artistic community that surround him. His family owns a restaurant bearing his name called Trattoria Zazà and he regularly escapes to the Boboli Gardens (the location of the tree depicted) to find moments of quiet. His family has lived for generations in Florence’s Santo Spirito neighborhood close to the Gardens.

While entirely imagined, Zazà’s story is rooted in my years living in Florence and in the people and places that shaped my experience there. The character also carries a personal connection: “Zazà” is the nickname my wife uses for me, subtly weaving autobiography into the fictional narrative.