I can still remember at 16 yrs old walking into the Cy Twombly museum for the first time. The smell, the sound on my shoes against the hardwood floors, the open space. And then the first painting. My eyes glancing upon the largest painting I've ever seen, and the only painting that has ever brought tears to my eyes.
This is a painting that takes hours to fully take in, perhaps multiple trips over years of time. One of the largest paintings ever done my Cy Twombly, and it took him over 25 years to complete. I love it, and I love going there just to sit and absorb it all in.
Houston, in general, is very fortunate to have a Cy Twombly Museum at all. An entire museum devoted to one painter. The ceilings that were specially designed allow natural lighting to grace the paintings filtered through meshlike material. Cy Twombly came to this museum when it was built and hung each and every painting himself. An interesting fact, but others emerge as well such as the fact that he is from Virginia & was once in the military servicing as a decoder.
Over the years, I visit the museum in a scattered, unpredictable fashion. Each time I am fascinated, and my own desire for painting grows. Human behavior and interaction with art in general fascinates me. And I am constantly wondering why can I look at this painting and be so moved, yet another can look at is a see nothing but scribbles their 4 year old could make.
I have searched several times over the years for interviews by Cy Twombly. To my great surprise, I have only been able to find one. That is because only one exists. How astonishing really...a painter with this much worldwide success....and only one interview. I love that. I love his removal from the media.
When I found out last week that Cy Twombly died in Rome, I personally was in a pool in the Sonoran Desert overlooking giant boulders with a raven flying about making calls. I was genuinely sad. Usually this is not the case. I find it melodramatic to be sad and complain when someone famous dies. I don't have connections with very many famous people of course because I don't know them. This makes logical sense to me. But, obviously I feel different about this because Cy Twombly's paintings have had an impact on my teenage years and my paintings. Someones work whom I admire, and whose paintings stir me.
The thought that Cy Twombly will never make another painting is truly saddening. But it is no doubt his paintings have had their impact on many, and will continue to do so for many many many years.
This is a painting that takes hours to fully take in, perhaps multiple trips over years of time. One of the largest paintings ever done my Cy Twombly, and it took him over 25 years to complete. I love it, and I love going there just to sit and absorb it all in.
Houston, in general, is very fortunate to have a Cy Twombly Museum at all. An entire museum devoted to one painter. The ceilings that were specially designed allow natural lighting to grace the paintings filtered through meshlike material. Cy Twombly came to this museum when it was built and hung each and every painting himself. An interesting fact, but others emerge as well such as the fact that he is from Virginia & was once in the military servicing as a decoder.
Over the years, I visit the museum in a scattered, unpredictable fashion. Each time I am fascinated, and my own desire for painting grows. Human behavior and interaction with art in general fascinates me. And I am constantly wondering why can I look at this painting and be so moved, yet another can look at is a see nothing but scribbles their 4 year old could make.
I have searched several times over the years for interviews by Cy Twombly. To my great surprise, I have only been able to find one. That is because only one exists. How astonishing really...a painter with this much worldwide success....and only one interview. I love that. I love his removal from the media.
When I found out last week that Cy Twombly died in Rome, I personally was in a pool in the Sonoran Desert overlooking giant boulders with a raven flying about making calls. I was genuinely sad. Usually this is not the case. I find it melodramatic to be sad and complain when someone famous dies. I don't have connections with very many famous people of course because I don't know them. This makes logical sense to me. But, obviously I feel different about this because Cy Twombly's paintings have had an impact on my teenage years and my paintings. Someones work whom I admire, and whose paintings stir me.
The thought that Cy Twombly will never make another painting is truly saddening. But it is no doubt his paintings have had their impact on many, and will continue to do so for many many many years.
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