black
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I would like my work to be recognized as being in the classical tradition (Coptic, Egyptian, Greek, Chinese), as representing the Ideal in the mind. Classical art cannot possibly be eclectic.

Agnes Martin

This is the attractiveness of artwork. It is adventurous, strenuous and joyful.
AGNES MARTIN

Adventurous Artwork Attractiveness Joyful Stremous
There’s nobody living who couldn’t stand all afternoon in front of a waterfall …. Anyone who can sit on a stone in a field awhile can see my painting.
AGNES MARTIN

Afternoon Beach Front Living Nature Nobody Ocean Stand Waterfall
Withdraws and makes itself up again pulls itself together with pride towers with pride rushes forward into imaginary conquest crashes in frustration withdraws with remorse and repentance pulls itself together with new resolution
AGNES MARTIN

Conquer Crashes Forward Make Pride Pull Repentance Tower Withdrawl
The enormous pitfall is devotion to oneself instead of to life. All works that are self-devoted are absolutely ineffective.
AGNES MARTIN

Devotion Enormous Instead Life Oneself Pitfall Self
The Minimalists are idealist. They want to minimise themselves in favour of the ideal. But I just can’t. You see, my paintings are not cool.
AGNES MARTIN

Favour Idea Idealist Minimalist Minimise Themselves Want
It’s through discipline and tremendous disappointment and failure that you arrive at what it is you must paint.
AGNES MARTIN

Arrive Disappointment Discipline Failure Must Paint Through
We all have the same concern, but the artist must know exactly what the experience is. He must pursue the truth relentlessly
AGNES MARTIN

Concern Exactly Experience Pursue Relentlessly Same Truth
One must see the ideal in one’s own mind. It is like a memory – an awareness -of perfection.
AGNES MARTIN

Awareness Idea Memory Mind Musit One Own Perfection
All that seems like error is not error; and it all has to be done. That which seems like a false step is the next step.
AGNES MARTIN

Done Error False Next Seem Step
Nature is like parting a curtain, you go into it …. as you would cross an empty beach to look at the ocean.
AGNES MARTIN

Beach Cross Curtain Empty Look Nature Ocean Painting
Doing what you were born to do … That’s the way to be happy.
AGNES MARTIN

Born Doing Happy Way
Beauty is the mystery of life. It is not in the eye, it is in the mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Beauty Eye Life Mind Mystery
When you look in your mind you find it covered with a lot of rubbishy thoughts.
AGNES MARTIN

Covered Look Looking Mind Rubbishy Thought
I hope I have made it clear that the work is about perfection as we are aware of it in our minds but that the paintings are very far from being perfect – completely removed in fact – even as we ourselves are.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Aware Hope Made Mind Ourself Perfect Perfection
That which takes us by surprise-moments of happiness-that is inspiration.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Happiness Inspiration Moment Surprise Take
I think everyone sees beauty. Art is a way to respond
AGNES MARTIN

Art Beauty Everyone Respond See Way

I would like my work to be recognized as being in the classical tradition (Coptic, Egyptian, Greek, Chinese), as representing the Ideal in the mind. Classical art cannot possibly be eclectic.

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I would like my work to be recognized as being in the classical tradition (Coptic, Egyptian, Greek, Chinese), as representing the Ideal in the mind. Classical art cannot possibly be eclectic.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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