Cy Twombly’s “Wilder Shores of Love” is an abstract Neo-Expressionist painting created in Italy in 1984-1985. The artwork’s dimensions are 140 x 120 cm and it was painted on a wooden panel using oil-based house paint, oil paint stick, colored pencil, and lead pencil. The painting is part of a retrospective exhibition at the Centre Pompidou, which displays 140 of Twombly’s artworks spanning from his early days in New York City to his later years in Italy.
Twombly’s artistic style merged American abstract expressionism with Mediterranean culture. The Wilder Shores of Love was originally a book that recounts the stories of Western women who lived in the Middle East, often in male clothing. This book title inspired Twombly’s subsequent artworks, including the Wilder Shores of Love painting. The artwork is characterized by bold colors, scribbles, and scratches that evoke a sense of raw emotion and energetic movement.
Overall, Twombly’s Wilder Shores of Love painting is a testament to his unique artistic vision, which integrates American and Mediterranean influences to create expressive and abstract works of art. The artwork’s use of unconventional materials and techniques also sets it apart from traditional paintings, making it a noteworthy example of Twombly’s Neo-Expressionist style.
