In late February this year, students in CHEx had the opportunity to visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Since the course spent several weeks diving into the gestural paint strokes of Cy Twombly from inside the classroom, nearly everyone was excited to finally experience his artwork in person.

Among the many renowned paintings displayed at the museum, from Van Gogh’s sunflower series to Monet’s impressionist landscapes, is Twombly’s 50 Days in Iliam–a collection of 10 large abstract pieces inspired by Homer’s Iliad. After quickly posing for a picture next to the Rocky Statue outside and independently exploring different sections of the museum, students regathered at the Twombly exhibition with English Department Head and CHEx teacher Karen Latham to begin their journey through his representation of the final days of the Trojan War. “You cannot truly comprehend the impact his work has until you see it in person,” Dr. Latham noted. Developing a sufficient understanding of his process through studying and reading is entirely possible, but “the scale of his paintings, the color palette, and the texture can only be appreciated in person.”

Many students also expressed similar impressions. CHEx student Junior Isabelle Li shared, “I feel like being able to notice every scratch, fingerprint, and empty stretch of canvas he intentionally left made it so much easier to connect with his emotions and gave me a much deeper appreciation for abstract art overall.” With this gained perspective, she finds herself becoming “more experimental with her movement, gestures, and use of empty space to express [her] own emotions in painting.”

Ultimately, the Philly Museum trip was an eye-opening experience for all who attended. Everyone walked away with not just a deeper insight on Twombly’s creative process and exposure to other styles of work, but a memorable day filled with reflection, appreciation for the visual arts, and quality time spent within a cohort of creatively-driven individuals.