Italian Painter Francesco Polenghi Dies of COVID-19 at 84
Francesco Polenghi, an 84-year-old Italian artist, passed away from COVID-19 in Milan. He was born into a family involved in the dairy sector and graduated with an economics degree from New York University in 1961, residing in New York until 1966. Upon returning to Italy, he pursued a career in advertising while continuing to paint. Polenghi's first journey to India occurred in 1977, and he spent time in an ashram from 1981 to 1988. His significant exhibition in 2003 at Fondazione Mudima in Milan was curated by Arturo Schwarz. His later works, characterized by abstract square canvases, drew comparisons to Leonardo da Vinci's final deluge sketches. Critic David Carrier remarked on the serene atmosphere of Polenghi's studio, emphasizing the spirituality that permeated Milan.
Key facts
- Francesco Polenghi died in Milan at age 84 from COVID-19.
- He earned a degree in economics from New York University in 1961.
- He lived in an ashram in India from 1981 to 1988.
- Arturo Schwarz curated his first major exhibition at Fondazione Mudima in Milan in 2003.
- His mature works are abstract paintings with small tubular marks on square canvases.
- His mark-making has been compared to Leonardo da Vinci's late deluge drawings.
- He recited a mantra while painting to achieve a meditative state.
- Critic David Carrier experienced a sense of calm at Polenghi's studio.
Entities
Artists
- Francesco Polenghi
- Arturo Schwarz
- Demetrio Paparoni
- Marcel Duchamp
- Leonardo da Vinci
- David Carrier
- Barry Schwabsky
Institutions
- New York University
- Fondazione Mudima
- Artforum
- The Nation
- Flash Art
- Contemporary
- London Review of Books
- Art in America
- Artribune
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- New York
- India
- Naviglio Grande