[SALVATORE EMBLEMA
(1929-2006)]

1929 | Salvatore Emblema born on April 25th in Terzigno, to a family of small landowners of French heritage.

1941-1948 | Graduates the Scuola del Corallo in Torre del Greco and leaves family. He attends the Royal Academy of Arts but doesn’t complete his studies. Makes a series of travels in Europe (France, England, Holland) until settling in Rome in the early 50’s. 1954-1956 First solo exhibition at the Galleria San Marco in Rome is curated by Neo-realist writers Ugo Moretti and Carlo Levi. The two intellectuals come up with the image of the artist-farmer, animated by genuine passion and bucolic lyricism. A stereotype that will give him great success in the cultural Roman environment pervaded by aesthetic neorealism, but that the artist feels as limiting. Starts work as an assistant set designer at the Cinecittà film studios. One of his works, a portrait of Pope Pius XII, made with dried leaves, is acquired by the Vatican Museums collection. Marries Raffaela Auricchio in the Church of the Artists in Rome: his witnesses were Ugo Moretti and American philosopher James McAllen.

1957-1958 | On behalf of the invitation of the magnate David Rockefeller, who buys one of his works, Emblema flies to the United States. He moved in 133 West 69 Street, as a guest of the musician Don Henry. He met Mark Rothko, which deeply influenced his research. Emblema’s first stay in the States is the occasion of decisive encounters for his painting. However, the artist feels New York like an alien territory. The difficult integration is enhanced by barriers and social language.

1957-1958 | On behalf of the invitation of the magnate David Rockefeller, who buys one of his works, Emblema flies to the United States. He moved in 133 West 69 Street, as a guest of the musician Don Henry. He met Mark Rothko, which deeply influenced his research. Emblema’s first stay in the States is the occasion of decisive encounters for his painting. However, the artist feels New York like an alien territory. The difficult integration is enhanced by barriers and social language.

1958-1964 | Back in Italy, continues to work at Cinecittà for Dino De Laurentis Productions. Becomes assistant to Mario Chiari. Exhibits his works in various Italian cities. Commissioned by Dino de Laurentis to paint a nude portrait of De Laurentis’ wife, actress Silvana Mangano. He lives between Rome and Terzigno, and in the meantime his works are displayed in various places in Italy.

1965 | He flies to the United States for the second time. He meets the historian Giulio Carlo Argan in New York. His trip is a tardive attempt to reconnect relationships with the artistic environment in New York, abruptly interrupted years before. Despite this, he returns to Italy some months later.

In an hour the picture you are looking at won’t be the same. Why? Because the picture has a relationship with light. And light is never the same.

Salvatore Emblema (12)

1969 | Emblema establishes a relationship of deep esteem with Argan. Aware of the lesson learnt in the States and the intellectual debate Argan addresses him to, he slowly starts focusing on the core elements of his research. He starts his analysis on the concept of Transparency: the word coined by Giulio Carlo Argan will be indissolubly linked to his art.

1971-1979 | This is an extremely successful period. Solo exhibition curated by Palma Buccarelli, Director of the Gallery of Modern Art in Rome. Exhibits in Rotterdam, Turin, Rome, Milan, Naples, Ferrara. In Naples, the exhibition at the Villa Pignatelli proves controversial with professors and students of the Academy of Fine Arts. The academic environment accuses Emblema of being the product of Argan’s heavy interference as well as (the political games) in the national artistic environment.

1980-1982 | He is selected for a collective at the Arsenale for the Biennale in Venice. The following year one of his portraits is acquired by the Uffizi Museum in Florence. In 1982 he is one more time at the Biennale in Venice, Pavilion Italy curated by Luciano Caramel.

To reach the essence of things you must take away, not add.

Salvatore Emblema (2)

1985 | Emblema’s works are displayed at the Royal Palace in Naples. The Royal Academy of the Arts criticizes him again. The artist Piero Dorazio on the Corriere dei Libri e dell’Arte (May 29th 1985) accuses Emblema of being “a famous artist only in his family”. From this moment till his death, Emblema will never organize an exhibition with his works in his hometown again. During this same year he hosts Philippe de Montebello director of the Metropolitan Museum in New York in Terzigno.

1990-2003 | The cultural environment in which Emblema is one of the major exponents, starts collapsing. Two of his major supporters die: Giulio Carlo Argan and Palma Bucarelli. The gallery in Rome he is linked to is involved in some scandals. Emblema’s name is not frequently found in the Italian art chronicles. His works are displayed abroad, especially in Germany, and he moves in his house on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. His works are inserted in the art book for schools “Storia dell’Arte Italiana” curated by Argan and Lara Vinca Masini.

2003-2005 | Emblema’s downfall begins. Various reasons lead him to sign an exclusive agreement with Telemarket, a TV channel specialized in selling art works. This controversial choice, which brings him back to success and, despite the numerous disapprovals, allows him to come out from a relatively isolated period. During these years his works are displayed in Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo Do Brasil, in Japan and Mexico City. He also holds lectures in these cities.

2006 | Falling ill in Mexico at the end of the previous year, Emblema dies in Terzigno on February the 2nd.