Quattro stagioni I. Estate 1994

Cy Twombly made this painting, Quattro stagioni I. Estate, with paint, and maybe some crayons or pencils, the when doesn't really matter. What does matter is the feeling of heat. You see, with Twombly, it's all about the process. The drips, the scribbles, the layering – it's like he's inviting us into his studio, showing us how the painting came to be. The yellow is thin and washy, like sunlight bleeding across the canvas. Then this eruption of red at the bottom, like wildflowers blooming in the height of summer. Look at the way the red paint splatters and drips! I’m reminded of Joan Mitchell, and her own love of color and gesture. Both artists share this understanding that art is an ongoing conversation across time. And really, with paintings like this, it's all about embracing ambiguity, letting go of fixed meanings, and just feeling the heat.