Biography of Francesco Clemente, Neo-Expressionist Artist

Biography of Francesco Clemente, Neo-Expressionist Artist Francesco Clemente (born March 23, 1952) is an Italian artist most closely associated with the Neo-Expressionist movement. His work reacts against Conceptual and Minimalist Art by returning to figurative ideas and techniques from the past. His work is influenced by other cultures, most strongly that of India, and he frequently collaborates with artists and filmmakers. Fast Facts: Francesco Clemente Occupation: ArtistKnown For: Key figure in the Neo-Expressionist artistic movement Born: March 23, 1952 in Naples, ItalyEducation: University of RomeSelected Works: Name (1983), Alba (1997), The Sopranos (2008)Notable Quote: When I look at a drawing of a person, I look at that person as living. Early Life and Career Born into an aristocratic family, Francesco Clemente grew up in Naples, Italy. He studied architecture at the University of Rome. He has spoken about a philosophical crisis that he experienced as a student. He felt deeply the fact that all people, including himself, would eventually die, and he believed he had no specific separate identity or consciousness from others. He said, I believe there is such a thing as an imagination shared by the different contemplative traditions. Self-Portrait (1991). Sally Larson (CC BY-SA 3.0) Clementes first solo exhibition took place in Rome in 1971. His works explored the concept of identity. He studied with Italian conceptual artist Alighiero Boetti and met American artist Cy Twombly, who lived in Italy. Boetti and Clemente traveled to India in 1973. There, Clemente encountered the Indian Buddhist concept of anatman, or lack of self, which became a central thematic element in his work. He opened a studio in Madras, India, and created his 1981 series of gouache paintings titled Francesco Clemente Pinxit while working with painters in the Indian states of Orissa and Jaipur. In 1982, Clemente moved to New York City, where he quickly became a fixture of the art scene. Since then, he has lived primarily in three different cities: Naples, Italy; Varanasi, India; and New York City. Neo-Expressionism Francesco Clemente became part of what was known as the Transavanguardi or Transavantgarde movement among artists in Italy. In the U.S., the movement is considered part of the broader Neo-Expressionist movement. It is a sharp reaction to Conceptual and Minimalist Art. The Neo-Expressionists returned to figurative art, symbolism, and an exploration of emotions in their works. Neo-Expressionism emerged in the late 1970s and began to dominate the art market for the first half of the 1980s. The movement received sharp criticism for the omission or marginalization of female artists in favor of all-male shows. Clemente was at the center of sometimes-heated discussions about Neo-Expressionism and its authenticity. With its relative lack of political content, some observers criticized the movement for being inherently conservative and market-focused instead of concerned with the creation of art itself. Clemente responded that he didnt feel it was necessary to tamper with reality in his work and said that he preferred to present the world as it truly exists. One of Clementes best-known Neo-Expressionist works is his 1983 piece entitled Name. The vividly-colored painting depicts a man, who looks similar to Clemente, staring out at the viewer. There are small versions of the man inside his ear, eye sockets, and his mouth. Another significant portrait in Clementes career is his 1997 painting titled Alba, featuring the artists wife. She is a frequent subject for his paintings. In the portrait, she is reclining in a slightly uncomfortable pose. The image feels like it is squeezed into the frame, giving the viewer a claustrophobic sensation. Many of Clementes portraits have a similarly distorted, almost uncomfortable style. Collaborations In the 1980s, Francesco Clemente began a series of collaborations with other artists, poets, and filmmakers. One of the first of those was a 1983 project with Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The artists each began their own individual paintings, then swapped so that the next artist could add their own content. The result was a series of canvases full of dramatic flourishes that are instantly recognizable as belonging to an individual artist; these flourishes collide into and overlap each other. In 1983, Clemente began his first project with poet Allen Ginsberg. One of their three collaborative works is the book White Shroud, with illustrations by Francesco Clemente. In the 1990s, Clemente worked with the poet Robert Creeley on a series of books. Another joint project was Clementes 2008 work with New Yorks Metropolitan Opera. He first worked with the renowned opera company when he created a large banner for the Philip Glass opera Satyagraha. Later in the year, Clemente created a series of paintings called The Sopranos: portraits of the divas featured in the Metropolitan Operas 2008-2009 season. They were created over a four-month period and featured the singers in their stage roles. Film and TV Appearances Francesco Clemente began his association with the film industry in 1997, when he made a cameo appearance as a hypnotherapist in Good Will Hunting. In 1998, Clemente created approximately two hundred paintings for director Alfonso Cuarons adaptation of Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations. In 2016, Clemente appeared in a film by independent writer, director, and actor Adam Green titled Adam Greens Aladdin. In the reworking of the Arabian Nights story, Aladdins dysfunctional family lives in an average American city ruled by a corrupt sultan. Francesco Clemente appears as the genie, Mustafa. Clemente is a frequent subject of TV interviews. One of the best-known is an extended interview with Charlie Rose in 2008 from his self-titled PBS show. Legacy and Influence Clementes work often defies specific characterization. Although he uses figural techniques associated with Neo-Expressionism, his pieces are not always intensely emotional in content. He eagerly embraces inspiration from artistic traditions other than his own. He encourages other artists to experiment boldly with media and techniques that are new to them. Travels, everyday life, and study in India heavily influence Francesco Clementes work. He has avidly studied Indian spiritual texts, and he began studying the Sanskrit language in New York in 1981. In 1995, he took a trip to Mount Abu in the Himalayas and painted a watercolor a day for fifty-one consecutive days. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City organized a major retrospective of Clementes work in 2000. Another retrospective at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin followed in 2004. Source Dennison, Lisa. Clemente. Guggenheim Museum Publications, 2000.

First Battle of El Alamein in World War II

First Battle of El Alamein in World War II The First Battle of El Alamein was fought July 1-27, 1942, during World War II (1939-1945). Having been badly defeated by Axis forces at Gazala in June 1942, the British Eighth Army retreated east into Egypt and assumed a defensive position near El Alamein. Pursued by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the British constructed an elaborate array of defenses. Commencing attacks on July 1, Axis forces proved unable to break through Eighth Army. Subsequent British counterattacks failed to dislodge the enemy and by late July a stalemate ensued. In the wake of the fighting, command of Eighth Army passed to Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery who would lead it to victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein that fall. Fast Facts: First Battle of El Alamein Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: July 1-27, 1942Armies Commanders:AlliesGeneral Claude Auchinleckapprox. 150,000 menAxisField Marshal Erwin Rommelapprox. 96,000 menCasualties:Axis: approx. 10,000 killed and wounded, 7,000 capturedAllies: approx. 13,250 casualties Background Following its crushing defeat at the Battle of Gazala in June 1942, the British Eighth Army retreated east towards Egypt. Reaching the border, its commander, Lieutenant General Neil Ritchie, elected not to make a stand but to continue falling back to Mersa Matruh approximately 100 miles to the east. Establishing a defensive position based on fortified boxes that were linked by minefields, Ritchie prepared to receive Field Marshal Erwin Rommels approaching forces. On June 25, Ritchie was relieved as the Commander-in-Chief, Middle East Command, General Claude Auchinleck, elected to take personal control Eighth Army. Concerned that the Mersa Matruh line could be outflanked to the south, Auchinleck decided to retreat another 100 miles east to El Alamein. General Claude Auchinleck.   Public Domain Auchinleck Digs In Though it meant conceding additional territory, Auchinleck felt El Alamein presented a stronger position as his left flank could be anchored on the impassible Qattara Depression. The withdrawal to this new line was somewhat disorganized by rearguard actions at Mersa Matruh and Fuka between June 26-28. To hold the territory between the Mediterranean Sea and the depression, Eighth Army constructed three large boxes with the first and strongest centered on El Alamein on the coast. The next was situated 20 miles south at Bab el Qattara, just southwest of Ruweisat Ridge, while the third was located on the edge of the Qattara Depression at Naq Abu Dweis. The distance between the boxes was connected by minefields and barbed wire. Deploying to the new line, Auchinleck placed XXX Corps on the coast while the New Zealand 2nd and Indian 5th Divisions from XIII Corps were deployed inland. To the rear, he held the battered remnants of the 1st and 7th Armoured Divisions in reserve. It was Auchinlecks goal to funnel Axis attacks between the boxes where their flanks could be assaulted by the mobile reserve. Pushing east, Rommel increasingly began to suffer from severe supply shortages. Though the El Alamein position was strong, he hoped that the momentum of his advance would see him reach Alexandria. This view was shared by several in the British rear as many began preparing to defend Alexandria and Cairo as well as readied for a retreat further east. Rommel Strikes Approaching El Alamein, Rommel ordered the German 90th Light, 15th Panzer, and 21st Panzer Divisions to attack between the coast and Deir el Abyad. While the 90th Light was to drive forward before turning north to cut the coast road, the panzers were to swing south into the rear of XIII Corps. In the north, an Italian division was to support the 90th Light by attacking El Alamein, while in the south the Italian XX Corps was to move behind the panzers and eliminate the Qattara box. Rolling forward at 3:00 AM on July 1, the 90th Light advanced too far north and became in entangled in the 1st South African Divisions (XXX Corps) defenses. Their compatriots in the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions were delayed getting started by a sandstorm and soon came under heavy air attack. Finally advancing, the panzers soon encountered heavy resistance from the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade near Deir el Shein. Mounting a tenacious defense, the Indians held through the day allowing Auchinleck to shift forces to the western end of Ruweisat Ridge. Along the coast, the 90th Light was able to resume their advance but was stopped by South African artillery and forced to halt. On July 2, the 90th Light attempted to renew their advance but to no avail. In an effort to cut the coast road, Rommel directed the panzers to attack east towards Ruweisat Ridge before turning north. Supported by the Desert Air Force, ad hoc British formations succeeded in holding the ridge despite strong German efforts. The next two days saw German and Italian troops unsuccessfully continue their offensive while also turning back a counterattack by the New Zealanders. July 12, 1942 - 25-pounder guns of the 2/8th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, in action on the coastal sector near El Alamein, Egypt.   Public Domain Auchinleck Hits Back With his men exhausted and his panzer strength badly depleted, Rommel elected to end his offensive. Pausing, he hoped to reinforce and resupply before attacking again. Across the lines, Auchinlecks command was bolstered by the arrival of the 9th Australian Division and two Indian Infantry Brigades. Seeking to take the initiative, Auchinleck directed XXX Corps commander Lieutenant General William Ramsden to strike west against Tel el Eisa and Tel el Makh Khad using the 9th Australian and 1st South African Divisions respectively. Supported by British armor, both divisions made their attacks on July 10. In two days of fighting, they succeeded in capturing their objectives and turned back numerous German counterattacks through July 16. With Germans forces pulled north, Auchinleck commenced Operation Bacon on July 14. This saw the New Zealanders and Indian 5th Infantry Brigade strike the Italian Pavia and Brescia Divisions at Ruweisat Ridge. Attacking, they made gains on the ridge in three days of fighting and turned back substantial counterattacks from elements of the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions. As fighting began to quiet, Auchinleck directed the Australians and the 44th Royal Tank Regiment to attack Miteirya Ridge in the north to relieve pressure on Ruweisat. Striking early on July 17, they inflicted heavy losses on the Italian Trento and Trieste Divisions before being forced back by German armor. Final Efforts Utilizing his short supply lines, Auchinleck was able to build a 2-to-1 advantage in armor. Seeking to utilize this advantage, he planned to renew the fighting at Ruweisat on July 21. While Indian forces were to attack west along the ridge, the New Zealanders were to strike towards the El Mreir depression. Their combined effort was to open a gap through which the 2nd and 23rd Armoured Brigades could strike. Advancing to El Mreir, the New Zealanders were left exposed when their tank support failed to arrive. Counterattacked by German armor, they were overrun. The Indians fared somewhat better in that they captured the western end of the ridge but were unable to take Deir el Shein. Elsewhere, the 23rd Armoured Brigade took heavy losses after becoming mired in a minefield. To the north, the Australians renewed their efforts around Tel el Eisa and Tel el Makh Khad on July 22. Both objectives fell in heavy fighting. Eager to destroy Rommel, Auchinleck conceived Operation Manhood which called for additional attacks in the north. Reinforcing XXX Corps, he intended for it to break through at Miteirya before proceeding to Deir el Dhib and El Wishka with the goal of cutting Rommels supply lines. Moving forward on the night of July 26/27, the complex plan, which called for opening several routes through minefields, quickly began to fall apart. Though some gains were made, they were quickly lost to German counterattacks. Aftermath Having failed to destroy Rommel, Auchinleck ended offensive operations on July 31 and began digging in and fortifying his position against an expected Axis assault. Though a stalemate, Auchinleck had won an important strategic victory in halting Rommels advance east. Despite his efforts, he was relieved in August and replaced as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East Command by General Sir Harold Alexander. General Sir Harold Alexander. Public Domain   Command of Eighth Army ultimately passed to Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery. Attacking in late August, Rommel was repulsed at the Battle of Alam Halfa. With his forces spent, he switched to the defensive. After building Eighth Armys strength, Montgomery commenced the Second Battle of El Alamein in late October. Shattering Rommels lines, he sent Axis forced reeling west.