Rita Ackermann exhibition at Cy Twombly's former Tuscia retreat

The medieval village of Bassano in Teverina, near Viterbo, houses Palazzo Twombly, the former retreat of American artist Cy Twombly (1928–2011). Acquired in the mid-1970s with his brother-in-law Giorgio Franchetti, the palazzo has been restored and since 2023 serves as the headquarters of Fondazione Iris, founded by Twombly's grandson Caio Twombly, who also runs the New York gallery Amanita. Each year, the foundation hosts a solo exhibition organized by Amanita. This year features Rita Ackermann (born 1968, Budapest), based in New York, with the show "Manna Rain" comprising 16 works including paintings, drawings, and video distributed across the palazzo's spaces from cellar to third floor. The works engage with the minimalist, Etruscan-inspired interiors and Twombly's classical sculptures. Ackermann's pieces, such as "Manna Rain" (2024), "Mouchette in Hollywood" (2024), and "Transparent Horizon Reigns" (2024), blend abstraction and figuration, referencing biblical, mythological, and contemporary themes. Notable works include "Ubiquitous (Outside of Time and Space)" (2024), a large green wall drawing with white marks and erasures, and "Bronze Tears" (2024), which inserts figurative elements on monochrome backgrounds. Critic Pamela Kort notes a sense of absence in these new works, aligning with the archaic rigor of Palazzo Twombly.