We are pleased to present the paintings of Francis Celentano. In this exhibition, the artist presents a mesmerizing body of paintings, conveying the visually dramatic through a vibrant interaction of means. He applies hard-edged colors that create an illusion of undulation and subtle gradation of shape and hue. The result is optically dramatic and visually stimulating. Celentano moved to Seattle from New York in the 1960s to become Professor of Painting at the University of Washington. It is here he began to develop his interest in color theory. Rather than using color in a traditional manner, in depicting something else, he immersed himself in its theories, developing ideas in hard edge painting and optical art.
After receiving his MA from New York University in 1957, Francis Celentano studied in Rome with a Fulbright in Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts. He has exhibited work since 1958 and has completed various public commission projects in the Northwest. Most recently, his work was included in two major exhibitions examining the Op movement of the last century, “Optic Nerve: Perceptual Art of the 1960s,” at the Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio, and “After Image: Op Art of the 1960s,” Jocobsen Howard Gallery, New York. His work is in numerous collections, including The Museum of Modern Art, New York; Seattle Art Museum, WA; Stedlijk Museum, Schiedam, Holland; Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA; Albright Knox Museum, Buffalo, New York; and the Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington.