Jeff Tocci presents his monograph Animales, a limited edition hardcover pairing creative nonfiction with 94 copperplate etchings, taking the viewer on a visual journey through the origins of multicellular life from the Pre-Cambrian to the present. This portfolio— a tribute to the creatures of the natural world—explores the birth of humanity, the genesis of self expression, grief, and the impact evolution has had on the natural environment. Drawing inspiration from the fleeting wonders of nature, Animales aims to help the viewer contemplate everything that came before us, putting us in touch with the destructive role we play in this story. Through the joyful acceptance of our faults, art can transform this destructive nature within us—and without hurry, these still images present the seen and unseen in an increasingly hurried world. 

All images in the book are presented actual size—as originally conceived and pulled from the copper plates under the direction of Marco Velasco and his dedicated team at Espacio Pino Suárez, in Oaxaca, Mexico.