From the series “Chromosomes”, oil and pencilon paper, 17 x 17 cm, 1997 / 2009.

A series of very simple smallworks, almost trivial: each drawing depicts a face and an expression.
Is it possible to create a catalog of all the expressions of the human face? Isit possible to classify all the attitudes that our face can take and give aname to each one? No, obviously, because the expressions are endless, as wellas the possible variations in the human physiognomy, so that a certainattitude, worn by different faces, can assume from time to time differentmeanings. It 'a game in which the variables are too many to govern, a sort ofindeterminate equation. But then, what sense can have a job like that? Indeed, itcould be interesting to investigate why, who portrays the faces, has chosenthese, among all the possible infinite combinations. There are some recurringelements? The expressions are mostly happy, or sad and pensive? The eyes aredirected towards the observer, or are they absent, facing something hidden?Eventually, this collection of chromosomes will not be able to describe a kindof genetic code, but it will be something very close to the genetic code of theartist.

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www.saatchionline.com/ico71
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www.federicocortese.com