Gagosian Gallery, Paris
I went to see this group of paintings at the new Gagosian Gallery that’s recently opened in Paris. Gagosian is one of the most successful and respected art dealers in the world, so obviously isn’t going to take a risk with its first exhibition in Paris. It’s interesting that today something that looks like a few painted squiggles is a safe option. It shows how far things have come in the last 50 years.
Some artists are hugely important, but you just don’t know why. I’m not a big fan of Cy Twombly’s work, but whenever I hear he’s got a show on I’ll go and have a look. I always think, ‘maybe I’ll get it this time?’ I mean he must be this famous for a reason…and just because I don’t love his work…I’m sure lots of other people do. What I forget is, that in the ‘real world’ people don’t just buy paintings because they like them, but because they’re a good investment. How. Depressing.
Despite this sad fact, Twombly’s paintings do give me an uplifting feeling, mainly because they look like either a child or the Mad Hatter has created them. It’s when I remind myself that they’re actually made by one of the most successful artists in the world, that I feel a bit lost.
I guess what you have to keep in mind when looking at a Twombly painting is that when he started out in the fifties, his squiggles must’ve been quite shocking. So the more people gasped in disgust, the more it must’ve egged him on. It’s true, the squiggles on the canvas don’t represent skill, but they do show the sheer stubbornness the artist must’ve had to create what he wanted and not what the market asked for. Strange how this has all flipped on its head.
Today, Twombly enjoys exhibitions all over the world and is celebrated by those who control it, especially here in France. As well being brought in to paint over a ceiling in the Louvre, he was also recently made a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by the French government. This is interesting as Twombly cites the key influence for this group of paintings as ‘Camino Real’, a play by Tennessee Williams. In the gallery press release the play is said to embody a romantic attitude to life, which includes ”old knights, dreamers and troublemakers”. Perhaps now Twombly is now an “old knight’” himself, he felt ready to record this feeling in paint.
Talking of “dreamers and troublemakers”, perhaps the Légion d’Honneur medal was not just a ‘thanks’ but also a ‘sorry’ to make up for an embarrassing incident that happened in Avignon in 2007. One gallery visitor loved Twombly’s work so much that she gave it a big kiss with her red lipstick-lips. Unfortunately, the powers that be didn’t find it so cute; they described it as, "a sort of cannibalism, or parasitism". Judging by the amount of security guards the Gagosian Gallery has hired for this exhibition I doubt there’ll be anyone puckering up anytime soon.
Some artists are hugely important, but you just don’t know why. I’m not a big fan of Cy Twombly’s work, but whenever I hear he’s got a show on I’ll go and have a look. I always think, ‘maybe I’ll get it this time?’ I mean he must be this famous for a reason…and just because I don’t love his work…I’m sure lots of other people do. What I forget is, that in the ‘real world’ people don’t just buy paintings because they like them, but because they’re a good investment. How. Depressing.
Despite this sad fact, Twombly’s paintings do give me an uplifting feeling, mainly because they look like either a child or the Mad Hatter has created them. It’s when I remind myself that they’re actually made by one of the most successful artists in the world, that I feel a bit lost.
I guess what you have to keep in mind when looking at a Twombly painting is that when he started out in the fifties, his squiggles must’ve been quite shocking. So the more people gasped in disgust, the more it must’ve egged him on. It’s true, the squiggles on the canvas don’t represent skill, but they do show the sheer stubbornness the artist must’ve had to create what he wanted and not what the market asked for. Strange how this has all flipped on its head.
Today, Twombly enjoys exhibitions all over the world and is celebrated by those who control it, especially here in France. As well being brought in to paint over a ceiling in the Louvre, he was also recently made a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by the French government. This is interesting as Twombly cites the key influence for this group of paintings as ‘Camino Real’, a play by Tennessee Williams. In the gallery press release the play is said to embody a romantic attitude to life, which includes ”old knights, dreamers and troublemakers”. Perhaps now Twombly is now an “old knight’” himself, he felt ready to record this feeling in paint.
Talking of “dreamers and troublemakers”, perhaps the Légion d’Honneur medal was not just a ‘thanks’ but also a ‘sorry’ to make up for an embarrassing incident that happened in Avignon in 2007. One gallery visitor loved Twombly’s work so much that she gave it a big kiss with her red lipstick-lips. Unfortunately, the powers that be didn’t find it so cute; they described it as, "a sort of cannibalism, or parasitism". Judging by the amount of security guards the Gagosian Gallery has hired for this exhibition I doubt there’ll be anyone puckering up anytime soon.
"The Imaginary Historian"
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