Wednesday Art - Cy Twombly

Have you noticed that I tend to favor modern art? I really do lean towards modern art for whatever reasons. Today's artist screams modern art to me - Cy Twombly.  His birth name is Edwin Parker Twombly, Jr. but both Cy and his father were nicknamed 'Cy' after the famous baseball player Cy Young.  Twombly was born in Virginia, April 25, 1928 and lived the latter part of his life in Rome, where he met his wife.  He was 83 when he passed away just last year, in July 2011.  To my surprise, there's a collection of his works in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which is like 20 minutes away from where I live.  I have been there 3 times in my life and the last time I was there was more than 6 years ago.  Obviously, I need to go again!  

Some may think that Twombly's work is nothing more than a bunch of scribbles (especially upon looking at the 'e' scribbles - see below). To me, his paintings represent bursts of passion, emotions, and complex feeling we experience in our lives. That's the best I could explain why I love his paintings.  Here are some of my most favorites. 

Untitled (a piece from 'A Scattering of Blossoms & Other Things')

'Quattro Stagioni, Autunno' (1993 - 1995)

'Three studies from the Temraire' (1998-99)

'The Rose (IV)' (2008)

Untitled, 1971, Oil and crayon on canvas

300 x 478 cm    118 x 188¼"

Ok, so this isn't one of my favorites - but this is the scribbly painting referenced above.  

(See here and here for additional information on Cy Twombly).