Francesco Clemente: Watchtowers, Keys, Threads, Gates

This book documents a 2019 installation by Francesco Clemente (born 1952) at Dallas Contemporary, consisting of a mural realized with three Oaxacan artists and two series of large-scale sculptures made with Indian artisans. The site-specific fresco consists of new zodiac signs invented by the artist, including a diver and two snails opposing one another, embellished with sepia-toned waves. For Clemente, these personal zodiac signs serve as symbols of gates, serving perhaps as pathways to spiritual realms or alternate realities. His mixed-media sculptures also feature charged symbols of liminality such as ladders, labyrinths, gates, doors and keys. These recent works reflect Clemente’s ongoing exploration of spirituality, mythological narratives and symbolism through surreal, quasi-religious content. The overall dreamlike atmosphere produced by this large-scale installation is firmly in keeping with Clemente’s uncanny and fantastic imaginary.