Purvis Young

#PurvisYoung

Born in 1943, Liberty City, FL.

Died in 2010, Miami, FL

As a self-taught African-American artist, Purvis Young is known for his Expressionist paintings and collages created with found objects. He roamed the streets almost every day, searching for materials to incorporate into his work. Thus, his works are true assemblages of all kinds of urban detritus that he carefully selected. His media were exclusively recycled products, such as wood, used furniture, glass or paper, as well as pieces of carpet, metal plates, wallpaper samples and mirrors. Not only were these materials chosen for their texture, colour and shape, but Young also took into account each object’s original use, and each component carries its own definition.

His vibrant, colourful, and highly expressionistic work could be compared with “magical realism.” Young developed a complex pictorial language to express the harsh reality of what he saw in the world around him. His works are filled with angels watching over turbulent cityscapes, riots, faces, and numerous symbols of freedom and escape, such as wild horses, trucks, trains, planes, or fragile Haitian canoes afloat on shark-infested waters.

The language of Purvis Young is universal. Considering his painting to be a form of protest, he said of his work: “I want people to know that I wish there would be peace in the world, and I will paint the way I paint until there is, and then one day maybe I could just hang up my brush and not paint anymore.”