Luis Fabini

Uruguay, 1965

Biography

Based in New York, Fabini’s work bridges the gap between art and life, creating a seamless narrative that honors the authenticity of his subjects. His images are a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit, reflecting a commitment to documenting the genuine and often overlooked aspects of rural life. Fabini’s art is not about breaking boundaries, but rather about honoring and blurring them to create a more inclusive understanding of our shared humanity

In Cowboys, Luis Fabini turns his gaze toward the enduring mythology of the American frontier, placing the US cowboy within the wider lineage of his series Cowboys of the Americas. His photographs strip the figure down to its essentials, labor, solitude, and an unbreakable tie to the land.

Textures of leather, rope, and sun-beaten cloth appear with sculptural clarity, while small gestures carry a quiet, inner gravity. Each portrait holds a tension between the real and the symbolic, the individual and the myth.

Guided by natural light and open terrain, Fabini builds scenes that are both intimate and vast. Dust, horizon, and shadow act as silent forces, deepening the emotional pull. At the center of this world is the bond between rider, horse, and cattle, a working triad shaped by instinct, trust, and daily ritual, where identity is forged through shared labor across the open range.

Here, the cowboy stands not as folklore but as a living vessel of heritage, resilient, weathered, and inseparable from the landscape.

Cowboys of the Americas

Wagon Boss Pitchfork Ranch | 2010 | Texas

At the Wagon, Pitchfork Ranch | 2010 | Texas

Long Horn, Haythorn Ranch | 2011 | Nebraska

End of the day, Haythorn Ranch | 2011 | Nebraska

Luis Fabini’s Gauchos is more than just a photographic series,it is an immersive journey into the heart of what it means to be a gaucho. Far beyond the romanticized symbols of the past, Fabini captures the dynamic reality of these individuals, deeply connected to their rich heritage. Through a masterful blend of documentary and fine art aesthetics, he creates a compelling dialogue between the past and present. His portraits explore not only the lives and emotions of the gauchos but also their profound connection to the land and their horses. Each image reveals the complexities of a culture that remains both historic and contemporary, where man and horse share a bond that defines the essence of their way of life.

“ Fabini’s Gauchos photographs salvages the remains of a vast cultural shipwreck and an epic courage that was never tamed, the grandeur of the scenarios and the humility of these dry lives, the beauty of horses -the most perfect beasts in Creation- and the cold will of their riders.”

Daniel Vidart

Gauchos

Tropero - Cattle Driver | 2005 | Uruguay

Harvest

In In this selection, Fabini presents ten striking images from the Harvest Peru series, exploring how rural traditions endure amid the pressures of globalization. The photographs highlight the resilience of these communities and their vital role in preserving agro-biodiversity, translating ancestral practices into a contemporary artistic language.

Fabini’s refined compositions and natural light lend the work a timeless presence, while the forms and colors of the fields subtly echo land art and performance. Rooted in both personal and cultural history, the series invites viewers to reflect on the fragile balance between cultural heritage and ecological sustainability.

Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

2023 “Gauchos”, Le Palais des Nations United Nations Museum, Geneva, Switzerland
2023 “Gauchos” Les Halles Saint-Gery, Brussels, Belgium
2022 “Gauchos” NAMOC Beijing, China
2202 “Gauchos” Zaozhuang Museu, China
2022 “Gauchos” Gallery Luo Chuanjia, China
2022 “Gauchos” Quingdao Museum, China
2021 “Gauchos” KF Gallery Seul, Korea
2017 “Cowboys of the Americas” CCE , Montevideo, Uruguay
2017 “Cowboys of the Americas” White Museum, Banff , Canada
2014 “Gauchos” Museo San Jose, Uruguay
2013 “Gauchos” Fundacion Atchugarry, Manantiales, Uruguay
2012 “Gauchos” Museo Blanes, Uruguay
2008 “Gauchos & Chagras” MV Gallery, NYC, USA
2007 “Gauchos & Chagras” The Nature Conservancy” East Hampton USA
2003 “The life of a Zen Master” Museo de Ciencias Naturais, Porto Alegre, Brazil