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Cy Twombly: In The studio At Museum Brandhorst

If you’re a fan of Cy Twombly’s artwork, like I am, then a visit to Museum Brandhorst is a must. Even if you’re not a fan, you have to see what the exterior of this museum looks like. The multi-coloured facade is glorious! 36,000 vertical ceramic rods, in 23 different coloured glazes, and 3 colour groupings makes the building look like a large, abstract painting from afar.

Inside, the museum’s Cy Twombly: In the Studio Collection features 200 works, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and photographs. The retrospective exhibit covers the abstract expressionist’s career from the 1950s to his last series of works he completely before his death in 2011.

I love Cy Twombly’s paintings and at the Museum Brandhorst, you get to enjoy 3 series: Lepanto, Bacchus, and Roses.

Lepanto comprises of 12 pictures and are based on one of the most famous naval battle in history – when the holy league (a coalition of Spanish, Venetian and Papal troops) defeated the Ottoman Empire.

Cy Twombly’s Bacchus which was painted in 2005 is a panorama of loops, dripping intense red paint. Don’t tell me that you’re not tracing the circular lines when looking at this painting. Because you are. It is titled Bacchus for its associations to Dionysus, wine, blood and fire.

And the pièce de résistance? The Roses series which Twombly created specifically for Museum Brandhorst’s central gallery. Each canvas is painted in different colours: deep blue, violet, pink, red and yellow. What a celebration of colour! My favourite is the yellow roses.

I didn’t expect the Cy Twombly exhibition to be so extensive, so I was pleasantly surprised by all the different pieces, which were all beautiful in their own way. If you’re ever in Munich, go check out the Museum Brandhorst at Munich’s Kunstareal (Museum Quarter). Then continue on to the Staatliche Sammlung für Ägyptische Kunst (Egyptian Museum), and Pinakothek der Moderne.