Artist's Statement

ITALIAN MURALIST HITNES RETRACES AUDUBON’S JOURNEY WITH ‘THE IMAGE HUNTER’ Roman painter and muralist, Hitnes, is embarking on an epic three-month journey that will channel the artistic works of ornithologist, painter and explorer, John James Audubon (1785-1851).

Inspired by Audubon’s legacy, from late July to late October 2015, Hitnes, The Image Hunter, accompanied by filmmaker Giacomo Agnetti of the Magic Mind Corporation, will travel along Audubon’s 1830s exploratory paths to retrace and rediscover the nation that he traversed in the making of his famous book, “The Birds of America.”

A union through time and space, The Image Hunter seeks to answer the fundamental question of what drives a man to dedicate his life to pursue his obsession for hunting bird images. Hitnes will produce a series of public bird murals during brief emergences from the wilderness into modern American urban capitals. Contemporary methods will be used to remind people of birds and nature, just like in Audubon's time. The murals will demonstrate what has survived and what has been lost, giving birth to an adventure across the United States that combines ornithology, ecology and public art.

In contrast to Audubon’s historic journey, contemporary America will reveal a different reality, influencing modern aviary behavior and underscoring species now lost to extinction. By interacting with local ornithologists along the way, Hitnes will immerse himself in the local birding community of each region to decipher the common bonds that drive humans to push themselves in the pursuit of their own quest, and observe their endless obsessions.

The route will cover Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and New York with special attention paid to Audubon sanctuaries and chapters. Hitnes will end his tour in New York City, home of the Audubon Mural Project. To follow The Image Hunter’s journey, visit www.audubon.org, where media partner The National Audubon Society will be releasing exclusive video clips and content along the way at audubon.org. Technical sponsor Sherwin-Williams, with more than 4000 stores across North America, will be providing paint for the murals. A docu-film, “The Image Hunter,” is tentatively scheduled for release in Fall 2017 (teaser). For more information visit www.theimagehunter.org, Instagram and Facebook.

Art and biodiversity have a unique rapport in Hitnes’ paintings. His name is invented, as are the animals he illustrates: species that do not exist in the real world. While he is capable of painting any animal to perfection he prefers to go beyond a literal representation and play with our perception. Expressing his talent through various techniques – from graffiti to illustration and fine art – he’s a modern incarnation of the true Renaissance man. Originally from Rome, Italy, his work can be found in publications in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, England and Australia. His works have been exhibited at the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, the Museo Civico di Zoologia in Rome, the National Museum of Anthropology and Paleontology L. Pigorini in Rome, as well as in numerous group and solo exhibitions over the past ten years across Europe, Australia, Mexico and China. Since 2012 he has also taught printmaking courses at Rome’s IED (European Institute of Design). Learn more at hitnes.org. 

Artist's Links

artist website: www.theimagehunter.org