The Fourteen Stations, No. XI, a painting created by Francesco Clemente between 1981 and 1982, realized a price of $1,860,000 at a Christie’s New York auction on 9 May 2022. This sale highlights the enduring market presence of a creator who emerged as a central figure in the Italian Transavanguardia movement during the 1980s.
Early Development in Rome
Born in Naples in 1952, Clemente enrolled at the faculty of architecture at Sapienza University of Rome in 1970. He did not complete his degree, choosing instead to engage with the contemporary art scene. During this period, he interacted with Luigi Ontani, Alighiero Boetti, and Cy Twombly. Alongside Ontani, he participated in performances at the Galleria L'Attico. In 1971, he held his first solo show at the Galleria Giulia in Rome, where he displayed various collages.
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As a key participant in the Transavanguardia movement, Clemente distanced himself from the era's dominant Formalism and conceptual art. He favored a return to figurative works and Symbolism, often utilizing drawing on paper rather than the larger-scale methods favored by some of his peers. He experimented with a wide array of media, including fresco, graphics, mosaic, oils, and sculpture, while also practicing as an illustrator, photographer, and writer.
International Engagements and Hanuman Books
Clemente’s career is marked by extensive international travel and collaboration. He first visited India in 1973, later establishing a studio in Chennai. He studied religious texts at the Theosophical Society of Madras and collaborated with miniature painters from Orissa and Jaipur on a series of gouaches titled Francesco Clemente Pinxit. In 1982, he relocated to New York City. From 1986 to 1993, he co-founded Hanuman Books with Raymond Foye, producing fifty miniature volumes of avant-garde and underground literature.
Exhibitions and Cultural Impact
His work has been featured in numerous major venues, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Irish Museum of Modern Art. He has participated in the Biennale di Venezia multiple times between 1988 and 1997, as well as documenta in Kassel and the Whitney Biennial. In 1998, his artistic contributions were featured in the Alfonso Cuarón film Great Expectations. He holds membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Fast facts
- Born: 1952, Naples, Italy
- Primary Fields: Painting, erotic art
- Education: Sapienza University of Rome
- Movement: Transavanguardia
- Notable Imprint: Hanuman Books
- Membership: American Academy of Arts and Letters
- Asteroid named for him: 265924 Franceclemente
Questions readers ask
What is Francesco Clemente's movement?
He is recognized as a principal figure in the Italian Transavanguardia movement of the 1980s.
Did Clemente complete his university studies?
No, he enrolled at the Sapienza University of Rome in 1970 but did not finish his degree.
Achievements
- Movement: contemporary art
