Untitled 1985

This is an untitled painting by Cy Twombly, and it’s all about the lusciousness of paint and the freedom of gesture. Twombly’s process feels so intuitive, like he’s letting the paint lead the way. Looking at the surface, you can almost feel the buttery texture of the paint. See how the strokes blend and smear, creating these blurry, atmospheric effects. In the darker area, the paint drips down like moss on a rockface. It's so physical, like you could reach out and touch it. It's all about the materiality of the medium. It’s kind of like de Kooning in that way. What’s so fascinating about Twombly is how he makes something so grand and epic out of such simple gestures. His work is like a poem, full of feeling and open to interpretation. We can keep looking and thinking, but there's no right or wrong answer.