Archetypal figure and primal tension
“Mask” (1983) by James Brown belongs to his 1980s production, characterized by a pictorial language that combines symbolic forms with instinctive gesture. In this phase, the artist develops a practice in which the image assumes an archetypal and universal value.
Executed in oil and graphite on cardboard, the work presents a large central figure emerging from a light surface. The dense and layered application of paint is articulated through earthy tones and more intense chromatic accents, giving the image a strong visual energy.
Around the main figure, graphic marks and stylized forms expand the narrative dimension, establishing a dialogue between drawing and painting. The composition unfolds as a space in which gesture and symbol coexist, shaping an image suspended between ritual dimension and contemporary construction.
James Brown – Mask, 1983
Provenance: 091 Art Project, Palermo
Exhibitions: art fairs and galleries
Archive: work signed, dated, and titled on the reverse
