When you sit for an hour and a half in front of somebody, he or she shows about twenty faces. And so it's this crazy chase of, Which face? Which one …

- Francesco Clemente

My portraits are half what I see and the other half is invented or dictated by the person and the painting.

- Francesco Clemente

If you want to compete in Italy, the only accepted ways are brute force, or cunning. Like Machiavelli says, "Fronte otra forze." And neither of these…

- Francesco Clemente

There's poetry in the world. Poetry doesn't belong just to the poets. You know, you can look at the most premeditated, cold blooded movie and find po…

- Francesco Clemente

I first think of intelligence. You need it for surviving in Italy because Italy is so pompous.

- Francesco Clemente

It is very scary to think mechanically about someone you know. That means that the second time you meet a person is useless. Which I tend to believe …

- Francesco Clemente

Painting is like making love. You cannot ask, 'How do you do it?' But, hopefully, it is beautiful.

- Francesco Clemente

I repeatedly refuse to make any practical decisions. I get a feeling of nausea about practicality.

- Francesco Clemente

I'm at the age where I don't need an acid trip to feel naked... to feel that I don't exist. Now a self-portrait is almost a reminder to me that I do …

- Francesco Clemente