FROM THE PRESS RELEASE

"The Cy Twombly Foundation is delighted to have donated a group of works to the GANMC that represent a crucial moment in the artist's career, when he lived in Italy for a long time and was inspired by Mediterranean culture. Rome, its architecture, music, cinema and Italian landscape were an inexhaustible source of inspiration for Twombly, which is why it seemed natural to us that these works should find a home at the GNAMC."

Nicola Del Roscio, President of the Cy Twombly Foundation

ROME — September 19, 2025 — Beginning September 20, 2025, the Cy Twombly Foundation and the GNAMC - Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Rome will present three gifts announced on June 26, 2025: 12 works entering the permanent collection of the museum, the complete renovation of the museum’s conservation laboratory, and the establishment of an international postgraduate program dedicated to the conservation of contemporary works on paper, both dedicated to Cy Twombly.

With this triple gift, the GNAMC not only becomes the foremost Italian institution for the study and appreciation of Cy Twombly’s art, but also a hub for innovation in conservation.

First Gift: The works and the gallery dedicated to Cy Twombly

Starting September 20th, the public will be able to visit a new gallery dedicated to Cy Twombly’s work, located in the newly installed permanent collection. The galleries have been redesigned with educational aims, following a chronological itinerary with monographic rooms.

The Twombly Gallery will present thirteen major works created in Rome between 1957 and 1963. Among the highlights is one of the artist’s greatest achievements, Untitled (Navel of the World) 1959-61, a large canvas, measuring 77 ¾ x 92 3/8 in., executed in pencil, oil, and wax crayon, a rare sculpture, Untitled (1959), in wood, plastic sheeting, plaster, red pigment and house paint.

The new works interact with two already in the museum’s collection: the monumental Second Voyage to Italy (La Caduta di Iperione) 1962, donated by Giorgio Franchetti, and Untitled (1958), bequeathed by Palma Bucarelli.

Pablo Picasso's pastel, Nu Debout (1906), will be exhibited among the works of Modigliani and van Dongen.

Second Gift: The “Cy Twombly” Conservation Laboratory

Alongside the art donation, the Cy Twombly Foundation is funding the complete renovation of the museum’s conservation laboratory.

Founded in 1976 and currently located in the basement of the east wing, the laboratory was in urgent need of renovation. The new facility, which doubles the area to 470 square metres, will have a dedicated entrance, and provide workstations for fellows and interns, as well as storage areas equipped for materials and special waste.

The new finishes, designed for durability and functionality, will ensure a working environment that meets the most advanced conservation requirements.

Third Gift: The “Cy Twombly” Postgraduate Program

Finally, the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Rome announces the establishment of the international “Cy Twombly” Postgraduate Program in the Conservation of Contemporary Works on Paper, run by the Central Institute for the Pathology of Archives and Books (Istituto Centrale per la Patologia degli Archivi e del Libro – ICPAL) and the Scuola di Restauro di Botticino – Valore Italia.

The degree will transform the National Gallery into a centre of excellence for research and training, placing it at the global center of contemporary art conservation.

For further information:

GNAMC - Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea

gnamc.cultura.gov.it