Francesco Clemente, In Between unfolds at Triennale Milano
Published on 08/29/2026 at 17:43 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Francesco Clemente returns prominently to Italy with the retrospective Francesco Clemente In Between at Triennale Milano. As the museum outlines in its exhibition information, the show runs from May 29 to September 6, 2026 and gathers around seventy works spanning five decades. Triennale Milano exhibition page
The Milan retrospective In Between
The exhibition Francesco Clemente In Between occupies the ground-floor Galleria at Triennale Milano and is described by the institution as a major retrospective of the artist’s painting practice from the late 1970s to the present. It presents approximately seventy works, including rarely exhibited pieces and new paintings. Itinerarinellarte feature
Curated by Francesca Pietropaolo with Robert Storr, the show introduces the idea of the “in-between” as a guiding thread, highlighting Clemente’s position across different worlds and cultural geographies. Loans come from public collections such as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Peter Marino Art Foundation alongside works from the artist’s own studio.
Work series and decades on view
Mentelocale notes that Triennale’s retrospective is the first major institutional survey dedicated to Clemente in Italy in more than fifteen years, following Anima nomade at Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome and an earlier large-scale show at MADRE in Naples. The Milan exhibition traces key phases from early self-portraits to recent watercolors, frescoes and large-scale canvases.
Artribune’s interview around the show emphasizes how works from 1970s and 1980s drawing cycles sit alongside later paintings such as Alba (1997 and 2024) and Portrait of Zoë Kravitz (2025), underlining Clemente’s recurring interest in horizontal formats and portraiture within broader narrative sequences.
All news and background on Francesco Clemente
For additional coverage of Francesco Clemente’s exhibitions, market results and institutional projects, the AD HOC NEWS archive offers an evolving overview.
The work core across media
Clemente’s practice, long associated with the Transavanguardia movement, ranges from large-scale oil paintings to works on paper, frescoes and book-like series that unfold as visual diaries. The Milan retrospective underscores his sustained engagement with figuration, mythological motifs and self-portraiture, often structured in extended cycles.
Over five decades, he has maintained a nomadic working pattern between Italy, India and the United States, incorporating motifs from tantric diagrams, devotional iconography and literary references. This “in-between” stance becomes visible in serial bodies of work where recurring symbols shift meaning as they reappear across time.
Where the artist stands now
Within the 30-day window, the key public date for Clemente’s work is the ongoing run of Francesco Clemente In Between at Triennale Milano, confirmed to remain on view until September 6, 2026.
Francesco Clemente at a glance
- Artist: Francesco Clemente
- Medium / Genre: Painting and works on paper (figurative, transavantgarde)
- Born: 1952, Naples, Italy
- Place(s) of practice: Studios between Italy, India and the United States, reflecting a nomadic working pattern.
- Active since: 1970s, with early recognition for drawing and painting cycles associated with the Italian Transavanguardia.
- Key work groups: Anima nomade, Alba, Portrait of Zoë Kravitz, extended self-portrait series.
- Current/last exhibition: Francesco Clemente In Between, Triennale Milano, Milan, May 29 to September 6, 2026.
- Major collections: Works in public collections including Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond) and Peter Marino Art Foundation, among others.
- Awards: Sigillo delle Arti 2026 (Seal of the Arts 2026) from the Academy of Fine Arts of Urbino and Carlo Bo University.
- Next date: September 6, 2026, closing day of Francesco Clemente In Between at Triennale Milano.
Frequently asked questions about Francesco Clemente
Where is Francesco Clemente currently on view?
The most substantial current presentation is Francesco Clemente In Between at Triennale Milano, running from May 29 to September 6, 2026 and bringing together around seventy paintings and works on paper from five decades.
What does the exhibition In Between focus on?
Curated by Francesca Pietropaolo with Robert Storr, the Triennale show explores Clemente’s idea of the “in-between” state, highlighting his work across cultural and spiritual worlds through loans from major collections and new studio pieces.
Which recent honor has Clemente received?
On June 3, 2026, the Academy of Fine Arts of Urbino, in collaboration with Carlo Bo University, awarded Francesco Clemente the Sigillo delle Arti 2026, recognizing his longstanding contribution to contemporary art.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
