Cy Twombly Gallery

One of my fiancé favorite artist interesting in every way almost the definition of contemporary. On that note its a little too repetitive for me. There’s only so much pencil on canvas that I can look at before I get bored. A lot of white on his pieces worth a look but don’t think I would bother for a second visit.

Warning: It’s a must to be an art nerd to enjoy the heck out of this gallery!
I’ve been anticipating to visit this place for a while now, and it did not disappoint! It’s absolutely beautiful, breathtaking and emotional. They house a collection of Twombly’s huge pieces as well as sculptures.
It’s definitely a must see if your in Houston and love Mr. Twombly.
Oh also, no photos allowed!

Pretty sure I did a version of 90% of thIs «art» in 1^st grade. Very confused as to how in the world scribbles are considered art. The best way to describe this exhibit is a majorly blown up version of my 1^st to 2^nd grade notebook. Call me ignorant to art but I just can’t qualify something as art if I can easily do it myself.
We did like the pond pieces and though, they were actually nice.

It took us less than a minute to walk around the entire gallery. We are obviously not art people. I didn’t understand it, but if you think scribbles are art you might.
We were the only people in the gallery on a Friday afternoon, aside from one couple. The security guard literally followed us around the entire gallery. He was only doing his job, but it still felt like he was breathing down our necks.
I will say the interior and the design of the gallery itself is pretty nice.

Excited to go… disappointed in what I found. The building is lovely and the ceilings inside are awesome, but the art… well it’s hard for me to even call it that. I think that Adam O’s review sums up my feelings best, but I felt like I was in an episode of punk’d as I walked around. I don’t necessarily like all types of art but this type was even hard to appreciate.
I like the space, the interior and feel of the building is lovely. I just am wondering who decided this needed its own whole building.
Read more at Adam O’s review, as he more eloquently put what I was feeling:

This building is entirely dedicated to the artwork of Cy Twombly. You may love his art, or you may hate it. If you struggle to appreciate the modern art, try focusing on the calm atmosphere of the exhibition space. Sit on the benches, and look at the colors that Twombly splashes on the larger-​than-​life canvases.
One room holds seven canvases, the suite of «green paintings.» At first glance, you may not see anything. But as you look at the shades of green, you may begin to see familiar images: maybe trees, rivers, or mountains?
The gallery, designed by Renzo Piano, uses stationary louvers, movable louvers, and canvas in the roof structure. The result, pleasant natural light illuminates the works of art. The ever-​changing light plays on Twombly’s artwork, making the pieces appear different depending on the time of day.
The Cy Twombly Gallery is one part of the larger Menil Collection. While you are in the area, also check out the Main Building, the Rothko Chapel, and the Byzantine Fresco Chapel.
To make this even better, there is no charge to see the collection!
No photography is permitted in the gallery.

The bldg itself was wonderful, and worth the experience. The art inside, well, let’s just say it is difficult.
If Cy Twombly is a great artist, then there is hope for every 5 year old with a crayon.

One of my absolute favorite spots in Houston. I love the odd smell that exists only in this gallery. I asked the attendant about it and she didn’t know what I was talking about. I believe it’s something in the paint Twombly used. My favorites are his blue/​red/​purple pieces. I could stand in front of them for hours.
You have to come here if you come to Houston! I missed it on several occassion because I didn’t even know it existed. My friend who had lived in Houston for years took me. I was really awestruck.

I actually came here about a week before his passing. So strange. It was my first time even though I had been to the Menil Collection a handful of times already.
I know people view art different so this was definitely a change from the typical paintings and drawings.
Try to make out what he writes on the artwork…

So I don’t have the most artistic eye. I like surrealist art because it is just like, OMG, so interesting and deep, you know what I mean? Of course you do, fellow poseur…
So Cy Twombly art is a different genre of «art» (and yes I do use that term loosely here). Am I supposed to interpret the jagged scribblings as symbolic of the artist’s cold detached father and the curvy loops as his sweet nurturing mother? Somebody please tell me! Help me understand?
Or maybe I am over-​thinking it. Maybe YOU are too. Hm?
Anyway, I guess this has less to do with the tangible aesthetics (that aren’t very technically impressive) and more to do with the emotions the pieces elicit (from whimsical to angry). The scribbles did emotionally and mentally jar me up a bit upon initial glance, but I found one of the pieces quite nice it it transformative appeal — I was perfectly content to just sit for a fifteen or so minutes and permit my eyeballs to trail to and fro the mess of haphazardly pushed words, lines, and shapes.
It’s worth a visit because 1. It’s free. 2. You’re in a museum-​y mood anyway post-​Menil Collection. 3. It’s far more calming than the well-​traveled Menil. 2. And yes, the counter attendant guy is all kinds of adorable/​awesome.

This is another great place to come and just look at things.
I agree completely with Danielle S. — to completely enjoy it, bring an iPod, take out those white earbuds, press play, and earphones on/​world off. Time to look at things and enjoy them!

The gallery got a bonus star before I went in because of the tree with the branch which is set at the right angle and height for reclining. The sun, however, disagrees (note: recline in the morning; note 2: make sure not to fall asleep, thus falling off tree).
I’d just come in from the Menil and the last paintings I saw there were Rothkos. I have some trouble with Rothkos; I try to feel and transcend, but just feel spiritually constipated (nothing’s come out after all that effort – what the hell?). To go to the Cy Twombly Gallery is a relief, with the «blackboard» paintings, scribbles (I understand scribbles!) and scribbled colorful blobs on giant, bright white grounds, and sculptures of things that actually look like things.
The man up front was friendly, and explained that the Menil didn’t provide them with a brochure. However, the gallery only consists of eight rooms, and walking through, you’ll hit all the rooms very quickly (like the Chinese family of dad, mom, and daughter, yes, their one child, speeding and clunking through – seriously, they just walked through each room, and didn’t I just seem them at the Menil? there should be some sort of museum-​attending race they’d rock at) or not a long time. I did nearly forget the room in the middle and the room off to the right with the sculptures.
I love the hugeness of the paintings, and how most of the rooms have paintings in the same… group? series? (was not an art major), so that you feel surrounded (in a good way). I ‘ll try to bring a book or journal here next time.

This is a great collection of one of the greatest living artists. It isn’t for everyone and has nothing to do with kids art or grafitti art (pre-​hip-​hop written graffiti, yes, but not tagging or imagery). Most of the work contains refferences in poetry or the classical world so if you are not a thinking/​reading person you may get less out of it.
IMO, it is the best place in the world. I moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to here mainly to be near it.

If you’re in the neighborhood of the Menil (and if you enjoyed the Menil building by Renzo), then you must swing by the Twombly. I know little about art, so I can’t honestly say if the collection is great or not but it seemed to be very well thought out and organized.
I’m in love with the building! Another jewel designed by famed architect Renzo Piano, uses a very simple concept of natural light. Basically the small building has large skylights with huge sheets of canvas stretched across to diffuse the light. It’s a very clean design and and the minimal structure is gorgeous. It just takes a minute or two to walk from the Menil and it’s worth the trek.

This gallery is put together so well. The paintings are like a series of poems throughtout this museum that was designed to let in natural light. I happen to really like his style, which is painterly, drawerly and abstract. If you don’t like this style, you might be rather disappointed or bored.
I get such good vibes here. Feels more like a church than the Rothko Chapel does, that’s for sure.
If you’re into art, this is not to be missed in Houston.

My recommendation for enjoying the Cy Twombly gallery:
1. Bring iPod.
2. Enter gallery.
3. Play album with spare, dreamlike qualities (my personal favorite is Radiohead’s «OK Computer»).
4. Sit, enjoy.
Suddenly, it makes sense.

Remember when you were a child, and you looked at your box of 64 crayons, looked at the coloring book that had been placed in front of you, then looked at the huge canvases surrounding you? You picked your FAVORITE colors, snuck over to one such «canvas,» and realized how liberating large expansive circular marks on the wall could be. Your wall, your color, your soul. I was three, so the yelling fell to the wayside. I had far more important thoughts at the time than to regard a yelling adult. Art and the me-​ness of me.
I fear* if you never performed this act of expression, you may not fully understand what I see when I look at Cy Twombly’s installation. Or perhaps you just can’t grasp conceptional art or abstract thought.
To me, this piece is the stages of art from young person until they are a full blown artist. Walk with me for a second around the museum, I’ll explain.
I like to think of the anteroom, the room through the second set of doors, as a summary. Almost like reading a tiny blurb about a book in a newspaper or some such advertising media. I tend to just walk through it briefly into the center room.
The center of the piece is a room that I consider the nucleus. The beginning. It looks like a school room with chalkboards. Perhaps someone has had to write «I will not [blank]» one too many times. Here it’s just looping scribbles. Repetitive and a bit angry. No words, just the concept.
I leave this room and walk clockwise (to the right). Think of a kid, just realizing that they have a voice, and want, no… need, to express it. Not much to look at, just a concept to meditate. As you walk through the rooms, it seems to me that the kid picks up language and incorporates it into the wall sketches. Some are angry (think preteen angst), some are playful.
When I reach the halfway point, I feel like I’m looking at a high school student’s mind/​sketches/​art. It’s as if I’ve stumbled across their melodramatic journal, also reinforced with the angrily depressed writing above each piece.
Moving into the green room, I think of a series one would have to explore in college. It’s more focused, yet has moved into a bit of duality.
Finally, the last room (the one with the benches and the paintings along one wall) makes me feel like I’m looking at a thesis for the entire project. The best place to take it all in, is from the doorway of the green room. It just seems so expansive there. It feels like a presentation, especially with the benches.
No matter how enlightened or nonplussed I am with the current exhibits at the Menil, I always leave this piece uplifted. The space is gorgeous with wide planked beech colored floors and concrete walls. The light is warming. It’s really a beautiful space.
*Then again, I am an artist, which affords me the title of «snob.»

Really??? Scribbles???

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Menil for making Cy a permanent installment in the Houston art scene.
This little gallery devoted to Cy, the Byzantine Fresco Museum and the Rothko Chapel are really hidden gems in Houston. I wish everyone had the opportunity to visit this place once in their lifetime.
This is one of my top three favorite museums in Houston. When i have friends visiting town, this is always on the top of my list to show off.
Cy is an amazing artist. The giant murals are one of a kind and a must see. It’s a great place to just sit and relax if you can get accustomed to the aroma of fresh paint (last time i went there.)

Lisa A. — don’t know you — but love you for what you wrote.
We could all waste a thousand words or even more battling over the questions «what is art», «what is good art» and «what is the value of art».
But let’s skip all this.
Having just arrived here from Europe I was swamped with work, relocation hassles, new surroundings and all.
This cluttering my mind, I passed by the Cy Twombly Gallery.
Federico Fellini — spot on — that’s the ambiance of the entry — especially in the evening. The withered-​movie-​star-​guy in the entry, with his welcoming Ricardo Montalban smile should be smoking a cigarette to make the scene perfect.
So here’s what to do: don’t look at the paintings with the «I could do that» expression. Don’t count the crayon lines. Don’t walk through in a hurry.
Sit down in that last big room with the huge paintings (Triptych?).
Sit down.
Relax.
Glance at the art.
Then perhaps close your eyes.
It’s very quite in there — you’ll see.
Watch the light changing as clouds pass by.
Just sit there — listen to nothing, think nothing, maybe dream a bit…
Yep — that’s the way to do it.
Ahhh — I love this Gallery!
3 stars for architecture — 4 for the art — but nevertheless a total of 5 for the relaxed feeling I had when I came out!