Series | Gold on Gold

The goal of my work is to remind the viewer of the necessity to be fluid, to be in a constant state of transformation.
—Francesco Clemente

In his Gold on Gold series (2016), Clemente engages the ancient tradition of Indian miniature painting, in collaboration with local craftsmen, to produce highly illustrated backdrops to his own deeply personal iconography. Clemente has noted the contrast between the miniature painters who spend hours meticulously drawing and painting, with his direct application of watercolor without preparatory drawing. Emphasizing the ability of watercolor to bleed into paper and generate veils of semi-transparent color, Clemente’s Gold on Gold series disclose a heightened sense of ambiguity and fluidity, themes that are present throughout his oeuvre.

Francesco Clemente
Gold on Gold VI
2016
Watercolor and miniature on paper
20 x 14 inches (50.8 x 35.6 cm)
Courtesy of Francesco Clemente Studio; Collection of the Artist, New York
Photo: Tom Powel Imaging

Francesco Clemente
Gold on Gold VII
2016
Watercolor and miniature on paper
20 x 14 inches (50.8 x 35.6 cm)
Courtesy of Francesco Clemente Studio; Collection of the Artist, New York
Photo: Tom Powel Imaging

Francesco Clemente
Gold on Gold III
2016
Watercolor and miniature on paper
20 x 14 inches (50.8 x 35.6 cm)
Courtesy of Francesco Clemente Studio; Collection of the Artist, New York
Photo: Tom Powel Imaging