Animals have long captivated the human imagination. Gared Luquet’s large-scale wildlife portraits depict the similarities of emotional expressions that are shared across the human and animal species. His most recent body of work, LA ZOO, emphasizes the connection between animals and the manmade world, specifically referencing the wildly diverse culture of Los Angeles. Luquet is interested in the interplay of disparate elements, such as bright neon sign backgrounds combined with hyper realistic animal portraiture to bring a sense of nostalgia and highlight the heavy midcentury modern influence in metropolitan regions. His Snapchat series is a commentary on popular culture in which he combines animal portraits with Snapchat filters to give anthropomorphic qualities to the animals and highlight the preconceived human perceptions of animal behavior. These animals are immortalized in classic Los Angeles style headshot poses and altered with whimsical filters and pop art inspired backdrops. Most recently, Luquet has stripped away the vibrant colors to reveal the fundamental beauty that is unique to each animal. Limiting his palette to sepia tones has stimulated his desire to feature a wide range of diverse textural nuances that exist on land and below the sea. This series captures the traditional and timeless nature of his subject, while serving as a reminder to preserve these delicate creatures by strengthening the centuries long bond between man and nature.