Untitled 1953

This untitled print was made by Cy Twombly with etching, and it's all about the energy of mark-making. The surface has this scrubby, smudgy texture, with raw, almost frantic lines. Look at how the white lines slice through the dark ground, like lightning in a stormy night. There’s a sense of immediacy, as if Twombly was chasing after something fleeting, a thought or a feeling. The paint is thin, transparent in places, which makes the surface feel really alive. It’s like the paper itself is breathing. The white scratches are bold and messy, like a kid scribbling on a chalkboard, there’s something innocent in this, like this piece wasn't overworked, just captured. It reminds me of some of Joan Miró's more abstract works, that are all about the joy of drawing, the pleasure of letting the hand lead the way. I think Twombly's trying to tell us that art doesn't always have to be neat and tidy. Sometimes, the real beauty is in the mess.