Anna Never | Painter of endless diversity of human soul

Who is Anna Never?

Anna Never is a young Italian contemporary artist from Bologna, Italy. Anna studied art at the Venice Academy.

Her paintings are imaginary scenarios, existing in other possible dimensions where replications of empty cities and mysterious buildings lie in an indefinite time, where leaden skies and lights are absent.

Her characters, even though they could appear silent and still, are not defeated, try to convey through their eyes the need to fight against anything that would subdue them.

We asked Anna a couple of interview questions:

When/how did you find out you are an artist? ‍

When I was studying at the Venice Academy I didn't have a clear idea of what I was really doing. ‍

My course of life, and of study as well, came to me as the one possible, without any doubts or considered choices: I didn't have any peculiarities, but the "artistic one".

But what I really found difficult was how to focus on all the ideas and stuff I had in mind and create something finished, concrete.

Thus, I always felt that everyone around me was more mature, brilliant.

I spent days doing and undoing canvas until this sense of inadequacy led me to cancel any idea of becoming an artist and I tried for a long time to cancel any signs of art from my life as well.

For a long time, I lived another life and I felt sick until I decided to start painting again.

I started again from scratch and slowly, It took almost two years to shed some light in my head, then I figured out my very first painting, the first painting in which I was able to put everything I wanted to, and nothing else.

The painting is called "Non cercarmi" (Don't look for me) and was exhibited at my first solo show in 2019.

From that moment on, all that I want is to be a painter.

What is your relationship to Instagram?

It's not an easy one.

I find it difficult to put in some order my works on IG (it's difficult in real life as well) and have a clean, beautiful page.

I think it would be useful, but I am not patient with that kind of thing.

I do my best.

What I'd like to do more on IG would be to communicate more with people that follow me or that I follow.

Where, when, how do you work best?

I work in my tiny studio at home, in Bologna, with the curtains closed, the door hidden by the easel, and music in my headphones.

Sometimes I think that it would be possible that someone could enter my house and I wouldn’t even notice it.

Where, how do you usually get inspired?

The things that most inspired me came from disturbances of human nature, they don't necessarily come from me, not all, but from the windows I open to the world.

I am very curious about that.

You can discover a lot of things that could be weird or disturbing for some, but I think they should be known and respected.

My works usually begin from a lot of images around an idea, then I start cleaning out that mess and figure out a composition that works for me.

The study around the composition is the most stressful part of my work, considering that I don't use pencil and paper, but oil and canvas even for the earlier stage of the painting.

What are you working on currently?

Currently, I'm working on something related to witchcraft.

It has always been in my mind this kind of imaginary, made up of ancient taste and related to European folklore.

I'm in that stage of working where I need to "clean" and trying not to fall into a goth vortex.

Funny fact: one of the latest studio/work started with an idea that I found successful but, going on, took the shape of some weird Twilight poster.

I cleaned and finished it, but when I look at it I keep on imagining a werewolf that comes out from somewhere. Rejected.

Short CV:

My first solo show "Amnesty" took place in 2019 at Blu Gallery in Bologna.

In 2020 I took part in "Booming Art Fair" and of the same year is my second solo show "1979", at Blu Gallery.

Upcoming or current exhibitions:

I will participate in the Lucca Art Fair from 28th of May till the 6th of June, with Bernabò Art Gallery.

Then I hope that another exhibition could finally be done: I won a contest last year at Odeon Gallery, but it was put on hold for the pandemic.

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Keywords:

#obscureart #oilpainting #occultart #entartetekunst #creepyart #expressionism #darkart #figurativepainting # endless diversity # human soul

Follow the artist on Instagram:

Images: Courtesy Anna Never

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A big thank you to Anna for sharing with us her wonderful work and her story with us.