In And Now, Federico de Francesco presents a new body of paintings, synthesizing his lush abstractions and lyrical drawings. Taking inspiration from the body in motion, the artist makes records in paint, his line a seismographic mark of limbs shifting in space and time. Together, they mark a focused development in his practice, consolidating themes of movement, gesture, and form.
Beginning from images, taken, given, and found, of bodies in motion and moments of intimacy, the artist extracts his forms, first in sketches, then expanded on canvas. In paint, line dissolves into stroke, and bodies emerge from the force of color as light. Decontextualized, it is unclear if the writhing body is wrestling or dancing; the twisting limbs caught between Eros and Thanatos.
About the artist:
Federico de Francesco was born in Calabria, Italy in 1979 and lives and works in New York. He is a classically trained violinist and received a Ph.D. in Economics from UCLA in Los Angeles, California.
De Francesco’s recent solo and group exhibitions include “Painting Energy” at the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Maine (2025); “Fortune Teller” at V1 Gallery in Copenhagen, Denmark (2024); “Travelin’ Light” at the Journal Gallery in Patmos, Greece (2024); “Social Practice” at Amanita in New York, New York (2024); “Just How I Like It” at the Journal Gallery in New York, New York (2024), "City Life" Curated by Marcus Leslie Singleton at V1 Gallery in Copenhagen, Denmark (2024); "Oak House" at Fernberger Gallery in Newport, Rhode Island (2023); “I am the Ocean" at Outpost in Copenhagen, Denmark (2023); “Sea Bound” at V1 Gallery in Copenhagen, Denmark (2023); "Federico de Francesco and Emmett Moore" at The Pit in Los Angeles, California (2022); "Spring Waters” at Ross + Kramer Gallery in East Hampton, New York (2022); Tennis Elbow at The Journal Gallery in New York, New York (2021); "Summer Sun" at The Journal Gallery at Van de Weghe Fine Art in East Hampton, New York (2021); "Vanquishing Ocular" curated by David Salle and Nicole Wittenberg at Rental Gallery in East Hampton, New York (2019); "Downtown Painting" presented by Alex Katz at Peter Freeman Inc in New York, New York (2019); "Garden Dwellers" at Regina Rex in New York, New York (2017); "Shed" curated by Darryl Westly at Christie’s in New York, New York (2017) and "Federico de Francesco" at Four A.M. in New York, New York (2016).
Works by de Francesco are held in numerous public collections, including the Alex Katz Foundation in New York, New York; the Margulies Collection in Miami, Florida; The University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor, Maine; the Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, Maine; the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Maine; the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami, Florida; and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.