A Bit of Cy’s Lepanto – Finding My Path Back As I embark on my return to the art world after about 10 years of silence, I feel the need to walk guided by my Artfather, Cy Twombly—with A Bit of Cy’s Lepanto lighting the way.
The Lepanto paintings have remained a profound influence on my work ever since I first encountered them at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Twombly had an intuitive grasp of the protagonists of the Battle of Lepanto, bringing the legend to life through his sweeping, evocative brushstrokes. Created in early 2001, these paintings revived history—but in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, they took on an unexpected resonance, sharpening our collective memory of war, art, and the interplay of cultures.
My own exploration of the dynamics and spirituality of circles is deeply connected to Twombly. His gestural, spontaneous lines and his profound dialogue with mythology and history have shaped the way I approach movement and transformation in my work. His Blackboard series, with its fluid, endless motions, mirrors the cycle of life—an energy I seek to capture in my own circles, which resist disruption and remain infinite in their expression.
The future is bright—we just need to embrace the magic of circles in our everyday lives.
MOO - Monika Mori 