OM.2026.098 - Denise Emanuel Clemen - USA

OM.2026.098 - collage on panel - 8 x 8 inches - The Rabbit Protects - Denise Emanuel Clemen - USA - Visual Poetry and Color

 Denise Emanuel Clemen is an American multi-disciplinary visual artist, memoirist, and essayist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her artistic creations and writings deeply explore themes of hidden truths, personal history, and the natural world, often rooted in her early life experiences. [1, 2, 3]

Visual Art Style & Mediums

A dedicated visual artist since 2020, Clemen specializes in tactile and layered fine arts. Her physical portfolios heavily feature: [1]

• Analog Collages: Paper-based compositions that frequently portray heroines, historical imagery, seers, and saints.
• Book Arts: Custom-bound books, zines, and intricate decorative boxes.
• Paper Making: Hand-crafted and marbled paper formulations. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Literary Work & Background

Before transitioning to visual mediums, Clemen established herself as an accomplished author, publishing her core memoir titled "Birth Mother" through SheBooks in 2014. Her literary foundation highly informs her aesthetic choices: [1, 2, 3]

• Creative Education: Earned her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing from the University of Nebraska.
• Publications: Fiction pieces and essays featured across major literary venues like the Berkeley Fiction Review, Georgetown Review, and Superstition Review.
• Themes: Her visual work builds heavily upon themes of a secret teenage pregnancy, truth vs. deception, and looking back into history. [1, 2]

Artistic Residencies & Exhibitions

Her artwork and creative development have been supported by multiple international fellowships and residency programs, including: [1, 2, 3]

• Kolaj Institute: Completed multiple residencies through the Kolaj Magazine Artist Directory in Sanquhar, Scotland and Montreal, Canada.
• Casa Lü Sur: A residency in Mexico City that culminated in her prominent solo exhibition titled "Saints and Sorrows".
• Château d'Orquevaux: Selected for an artist residency in France.
• Writing Fellowships: Historically awarded fellowships from the Ragdale Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. [1, 2, 3, 4]