Remembering Cy Twombly, Remembering My Mom

When my mom was still alive and when I hadn't yet left Vancouver—so, a very long time ago—we saw the Cy Twombly show at the VAG when it was still in its original location further down Georgia Street. My mom, with mental illness roiling around inside of her, looked at the works and said “this makes me feel anxious”. We left.

It was completely liberating for me.

All these years later, still, I allow my experience of art to animate me and to lead me. I either breeze by pieces or, riveted, I root in front of them, moving in so close to see the pieces’ inner workings that security often thinks I’m touching.

Every time I’m in an art space, just like today as I wend my way through this sprawling survey of Sterling Ruby, I think of that day with my mom so long ago.