Il volto dell’anima secondo February James. A Torino
Luce Gallery, Torino ‒ fino al 14 luglio 2020. La galleria torinese ospita “I Painted Flowers For You”, la personale di February James. L'artista afroamericana ha collaborato con Solange Knowles e Diplo, per il quale ha realizzato il lavoro diventato poi la copertina dell’EP “California” (2018). Creando un ritratto di ogni artista che ha contribuito alle registrazioni.
![Il volto dell’anima secondo February James. A Torino](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/February-James-My-Soul-is-Happy-Here-2020-oil-oil-pastel-and-ink-on-canvas-mounted-on-shaped-wood-127-x-111.7-cm.-Photo-Andrea-Ferrari-Courtesy-the-artist-and-Luce-Gallery-Torino-891x1024.jpg)
February James (nata a Washington, vive a Los Angeles) prende le mosse da esperienze personali per attraversarle nella trama e riportarle al visitatore grazie a un percorso introspettivo, dove si mette a nudo l’anima del singolo volto, quell’aspetto celato da schemi sociali, esperienze limitanti che impediscono una reale percezione del Sé a tutti i livelli. Indaga con scrupolosa attenzione fattori marginali, al fine di esaminare la sessualità, il corpo, il subconscio, la morte.
Artefice di una ricerca pittorica “giovane” ma profonda e comunicativa, ricorre a linee per nulla definite e a un figurativo lontano dalla classica espressione per esporre in maniera esemplare emozioni profonde e spesso nascoste.
Volti diversi si snodano in termini di pittura e disegni ‒ realizzati preferendo l’acquerello, pastelli a olio e polvere di grafite ‒ per mezzo di colori vividi e forme svisate. February James rende l’intangibile del comparto emotivo, così come può apparire nei ricordi e nei sogni. Fondamentale è la percezione dell’opera da parte dell’osservatore, dove l’anima mette in atto uno scambio di esperienze e vissuti, riconoscendosi e negandosi allo stesso tempo.
‒ Grazia Nuzzi
![February James, To Much To Soon, 2020, oil and watercolor on canvas, 40.6 x 30.4 cm. Photo Andrea Ferrari, Courtesy the artist and Luce Gallery, Torino](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/February-James-To-Much-To-Soon-2020-oil-and-watercolor-on-canvas-40.6-x-30.4-cm.-Photo-Andrea-Ferrari-Courtesy-the-artist-and-Luce-Gallery-Torino-768x931.jpg)
![February James, Some Things Remain The Same, 2020, watercolor and oil on canvas 50.7 x 40.6 cm. Photo Andrea Ferrari, Courtesy the artist and Luce Gallery, Torino](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/February-James-Some-Things-Remain-The-Same-2020-watercolor-and-oil-on-canvas-50.7-x-40.6-cm.-Photo-Andrea-Ferrari-Courtesy-the-artist-and-Luce-Gallery-Torino-768x919.jpg)
![February James, My Soul is Happy Here, 2020, oil, oil pastel and ink on canvas mounted on shaped wood, 127 x 111.7 cm. Photo Andrea Ferrari, Courtesy the artist and Luce Gallery, Torino](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/February-James-My-Soul-is-Happy-Here-2020-oil-oil-pastel-and-ink-on-canvas-mounted-on-shaped-wood-127-x-111.7-cm.-Photo-Andrea-Ferrari-Courtesy-the-artist-and-Luce-Gallery-Torino-768x883.jpg)
![February James, Come Here to Me, 2020, oil on canvas, 55.4 x 50.8 cm. Photo Andrea Ferrari, Courtesy the artist and Luce Gallery, Torino](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/February-James-Come-Here-to-Me-2020-oil-on-canvas-55.4-x-50.8-cm.-Photo-Andrea-Ferrari-Courtesy-the-artist-and-Luce-Gallery-Torino-768x824.jpg)
![February James, You look pretty but you feel broken, 2020, watercolor, liquid graphite and oil on canvas, 48.2 x 48.2 cm. Photo Andrea Ferrari, Courtesy the artist and Luce Gallery, Torino](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/February-James-You-look-pretty-but-you-feel-broken-2020-watercolor-liquid-graphite-and-oil-on-canvas-48.2-x-48.2-cm.-Photo-Andrea-Ferrari-Courtesy-the-artist-and-Luce-Gallery-Torino-768x765.jpg)
![February James, You're in Charge When I Leave, 2020, oil, ink and oil pastel on canvas, 121.9 x 121.9 cm. Photo Andrea Ferrari, Courtesy the artist and Luce Gallery, Torino](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/February-James-Youre-in-Charge-When-I-Leave-2020-oil-ink-and-oil-pastel-on-canvas-121.9-x-121.9-cm.-Photo-Andrea-Ferrari-Courtesy-the-artist-and-Luce-Gallery-Torino-768x768.jpg)
![February James. I Painted Flowers For You. Installation view at Luce Gallery, Torino 2020. Photo Grazia Nuzzi](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/February-James.-I-Painted-Flowers-For-You.-Installation-view-at-Luce-Gallery-Torino-2020.-Photo-Grazia-Nuzzi-768x576.jpg)
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