Francesco Clemente Italian-American contemporary artist Date of Birth: 23.03.1952 Country: USA

1. Francesco Clemente: Italian-American Artist
2. Early Life and Studies
3. Early Exhibitions and International Recognition
4. Global Exhibitions and Collaborations
5. Later Career and Retrospectives

Francesco Clemente: Italian-American Artist

Born on March 23, 1952, in Naples, Italy, Francesco Clemente is an Italian-American contemporary artist whose work draws heavily from Expressionism and Surrealism.

Early Life and Studies

Clemente briefly studied architecture at the University of Rome but left his studies incomplete. In 1973, he embarked on his first trip to India, followed by a journey to Afghanistan in 1974 with the conceptual artist Alighiero Boetti.

Early Exhibitions and International Recognition

During the 1970s, Clemente's work began to gain attention. He exhibited his early illustrations and photographs in Turin, Amsterdam, and Cologne. In 1977, he returned to India with his wife, Alba, and spent two years living and working in Madras, where he developed an interest in Indian contemplative traditions.

In 1980, Clemente's work was included in the Venice Biennale. He relocated to New York City in 1981 and has since divided his time between the United States and India, where he collaborates with local artists.

Global Exhibitions and Collaborations

Throughout the 1980s, Clemente's exhibitions proliferated worldwide. Notable venues included the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London (1983), the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis (1984), The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (1985), The Art Institute of Chicago (1987), and Dia Art Foundation in New York (1988). He also collaborated with artists Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, as well as poets Robert Creeley, Allen Ginsberg, and Salman Rushdie.

Later Career and Retrospectives

In the 1990s, Clemente's work was exhibited at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Royal Academy of Arts in London, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, and the Sezon Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. In 1998, he created all the drawings and paintings featured in the film adaptation of "Great Expectations." A major retrospective of his work was held at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in 1999.

Clemente is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He continues to work regularly in India and resides in New York City with his wife and four children. A recent exhibition of his work was held at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence in 2011.