In the Autumn of 1952, Cy Twombly met up with his friend and lover Robert Rauschenberg in Casablanca. They travelled extensively through Morocco and went to Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains, and then on to Tangier. During this journey of discovery, they explored the relatively unknown vestiges of Berber sites of Tiznit and of classical antiquity at Volubilis.

Much of the surviving work from this trip consists of photographs taken with a Rolleiflex shared by the artists, and sketches preserved by their respective foundations. This exhibition, curated by Nicola Del Roscio at the Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech, explores Twombly’s affinity for Morocco through his paintings, photographs, and sketches.

Cy Twombly, Morocco, 1952/1953 is presented by the Fondation Jardin Majorelle, in partnership with the Cy Twombly Foundation and the Fondazione Nicola Del Roscio. Yves Saint Laurent himself and Pierre Bergé spent significant time in Morocco and Marrakech so it makes sense for the eponymous museum to showcase Twombly’s work at this prestigious venue.

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