Cy Twombly Sort De Son Corps

To end the papal metaphors, the death of Cy Twombly , last Tuesday from cancer at the age of 83 years, coinciding with the inauguration in Avignon, another mecca of the papacy, of exposure to the foundation of his photographic work Lambert, a little known aspect of a painter and sculptor who had shot to the top of the spot art and graffiti.

The exhibition under Proust, the "Time Regained" is today is a will, since through the 120 photographs gathered here, the entire life of an artist who marches in front of the visitor, draining the passage that of the avant-garde New York who revolutionized the history and the art market in middle of last century. We meet Robert Motherwell , the choreographer Merce Cunningham or the musician John Cage . Not to mention Robert Rauschenberg , the author of the famous paintings Combines with that Cy Twombly for years shared his New York studio and a loving friendship.

The work of Twombly took time to acquire, with the notable exception of Roland Barthes , a critical success. Proponents of doxa were not sure how to evaluate an artist who affixed words, as posed in a hurry, almost as tags on the paintings they would have preferred to enter into their grids, they comply the rules of a strict abstraction.

For the magic of these works operates, we must look closely, to be drawn into their vortex of faded colors, and try to decipher the hieroglyphics placed a trembling hand in charcoal or simple ballpoint pen. Even for a layman, gives each of these paintings, but we understand why (but is it necessary?), A sense of balance and serenity, the limit of Zen, a little like the frescoes composed by the great primitive of the Italian Renaissance. It is probably no coincidence that Twombly has decided to spend most of his life in their country.

As is often the case with painters, old age is a call to a peak of light. In 2007, the Foundation Lambert of Avignon, Twombly had written a series of giant canvases, blinding as fields of peonies crushed sun. In 2010 the Louvre, Twombly , secret and discreet man, was present (almost incognito) at the opening of the ceiling he had made room for the bronzes. A work of 400 m2, a little blue duck in his way, decorated with ball-shaped cartridges, containing the names of the seven greatest sculptors of ancient Greece. This brilliant work is high enough to spare the onslaught of fans, as was the case three years ago in Avignon, where a performer had been a loving kiss indelible lipstick on one of his paintings, almost entirely white . And resulted in passing a scandal and debate, in fact quite rich, status, sacred or not, a work of contemporary art.

If recognition was late, it was no less triumphant: it starts with a retrospective at the Whitney Museum in 1979, continues with a series of exhibitions in European museums in 1987-1988 (including the Centre Pompidou) and a new and very consistent retrospective at MOMA in 1995, in Houston before the opening of a museum dedicated to it, designed by architect Renzo Piano . Finally, in 2001 he received the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, for a set painting of the Battle of Lepanto.

This reputation has obviously a consequence of carrying on the market. Two months ago, one of his untitled 1967 painting was being sold by Christie's New York: it was 15.2 million.

A record for Twombly , whose ratings in all likelihood, will continue to grow. As the market that does not bother with good feelings, endorsed the motto of General Custer, mass-murderer of red skin, which stated that " a good Indian is a dead Indian . " Ditto for the artists.

In 2005, a painting of the same size and substantially the same bill as that sold in New York two months ago (oil on canvas reworked in pencil) and almost the same period (1968) was sold for 8.69 million at Sotheby's New York. Going back a few years ago (November 2003), again at Sotheby's New York, an oil on paper was sold in 1970 220,800 dollars. (Source: Database of artnet price)