Pan II 1980

Editor: So, here we have Cy Twombly's "Pan II," created in 1980, a mixed media work incorporating ink and pastel. There's an intensity to this piece. The explosion of red feels…almost volcanic. What's your take? Curator: Volcanic is spot on. I see raw energy, a primal scream rendered in crayon and ink. Twombly, he's like a poet who scribbles his thoughts rather than neatly writing them down. Think of ancient Roman graffiti mixed with a child's impulsive drawing. What does the title 'Pan' evoke for you, visually? Editor: Immediately I think of nature, wildness, a sort of chaotic, untamed force, fitting perfectly with the bold, messy strokes. Is that something Twombly was intentionally conveying? Curator: I think he *invites* that connection. He hints rather than dictates. Twombly loved the Classics; he breathed that history, transforming it into his own visual language. And that spot of red below - it mirrors the burst of color, yet it's contained, like a single drop of blood, an essence… How does that resonate with your reading? Editor: The drop below kind of anchors all that explosive energy somehow, but leaves space for your own emotional landscape and personal narrative to color things. Very cool. I guess that means I'm connecting to it as he hoped? Curator: Precisely. It becomes a dialogue – Twombly initiates, and you, the viewer, complete the thought. It’s not about understanding; it's about *feeling*. Editor: That’s something I can keep in mind to feel like a "real" art appreciator. Curator: Now, what is "real" anyway, when what is felt IS what it is...