Yet more Cy Twombly

[Claude J Greengrass]

Estimated to sell for between $35 and $45 million dollars, Cy Twombly’s Gray-Hued Take On Ancient Vandalism is Coming to Sotheby’s

If you made it this far, you can read the gushing reviews in Observer.

 

[Iain]

To paraphrase the journo, "Twombly's detractors are as passionate as his fans." The publicity over the controversy of his work must add an extra layer of appeal, surely. That being so, the joke would be on the detractors, I would think.

Ark at this statement from the article.
Another element to Twombly’s lasting appeal on the market is that he only made a finite amount of work in his lifetime.

Now that he has reached eternity, he will have plenty of time to produce an infinite amount of work. I guess that would be called sublime.

I would be interested to see the Classical graffiti that inspired the work. Any Classical graffiti for that matter.

 

[Trier]

I have the feeling that I will never be able to 'get' this, or the ones like it.

 

[E.J.H.]

Ark at this statement from the article.
Another element to Twombly’s lasting appeal on the market is that he only made a finite amount of work in his lifetime.

That is hilarious!

 

[snoball]

We made similar works when learning to write cursive in elementary school.

 

[E.J.H.]

I wonder sometimes how history will judge these aspects of the current artworld, where works like these are sold for such absurd amounts of money. "The Great Delusion" might be a possible name for it....

 

[P. Barrie]

That market is...let us say “out there”
IMO, not one of his better works. I do like some of his paintings.

 

[Artyczar]

Well, I love this one.

 

[Artyczar]

 

[E.J.H.]

I think these are good examples of abstract art I don't have a handle on.
On the one hand: I don't see any composition, the use of color couldn't be less interesting, there is no ability on a technical/craft level shown, and even the artist' message is pretty dull imo ("I saw some ancient graffiti on a ruin").
On the other hand: The work seem immensely popular in the artworld, highly spoken of by critics who are experts in this field, and it's valued to a degree that it's sold for astronomical prices.
So there should be something there! Alas, I don't see it.

 

[Artyczar]

Here's another, sorry about the bad picture quality. We had crappy cameras when we went to Houston...

 

[Artyczar]

I don't know how "good" they are as examples of abstract art in general, in my opinion. I'm a big Paul Klee and Kandinsky fan for that in terms of getting started on that path, but I do like Twombly for his use of paint, layering, scratching, and composition. I think it is interesting, playful and childlike. I like the little scribbling he does that is not recognizable. It's his own made-up language, like a child might write (this is all my own observations by the way, not one of any kind of professional person or critic), or yes, perhaps the graffiti of some ancient civilization. I like the space he uses between shapes and the scribbles where things begin to breathe. Perhaps the scale of the work has something to do with it. There's a lot to notice on the canvas when looking at it all in person. Many different textures, which I love. The chalkboard-looking ones don't have the texture so much, but I love their simplicity and minimalistic qualities. To each their own.

 

[Nufocus]

Estimated to sell for between $35 and $45 million dollars, Cy Twombly’s Gray-Hued Take On Ancient Vandalism is Coming to Sotheby’s
View attachment 8793
If you made it this far, you can read the gushing reviews in Observer.

 

[Dave Woody]

If I could create art worth millions, I would.

If I may just say....here...that Sotheby's have one of my pictures in their possession.
I sent it saying that they could return it to me, with no offence but suggested it be hidden
in a dark corner to be found 50 years from now. If it had been returned, sent back, I wouldn't
be sharing this with you.

 

[Dave Woody]

 

[Dave Woody]

I was particularly proud to include our 'Sno...'....
by name.....