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One must see the ideal in one’s own mind. It is like a memory – an awareness -of perfection.

Agnes Martin

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
Happiness is being on the beam with life – to feel the pull of life
AGNES MARTIN

Beam Feel Happiness Life Pull
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
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

Art Classical Memories Perfection Tradition
You must find the things that you do like. The things that are acceptable to your mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Acceptable Find Mind Think Thinking
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
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 paint with my back to the world
AGNES MARTIN

Back Paint World
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
When I first made a grid I happened to be thinking of the innocence of trees and then this grid came into my mind and I thought it represented innocence, and I still do, and so I painted it and then I was satisfied. I thought, this is my vision.
AGNES MARTIN

First Grid Happenedm Innocense Made Mind Satisfy Think Thinking Tree
The adventurous state of mind is a high house… The joy of adventure is unaccountable.
AGNES MARTIN

Adventure High House Joy Mind State
I think it’s a response in our minds to perfection. It’s too bad, people not realizing that their minds expand beyond this world.
AGNES MARTIN

Beyond Expand Mind People Perfection Realizing Response World
My paintings are not about what is seen. They are about what is known forever in the mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Forever Mind Painting Perception Seen
A definition of art is that it makes concrete our most subtle emotions. I think the highest form of art is music. It’s the most abstract of all art expression.
AGNES MARTIN

Abstract Concrete Definition Expression Form Make Music Subtitle
I want to say that they are not what they seem to be. I want to say that all that seems like fantastic mistakes are not mistake.
AGNES MARTIN

Fantastic Like Mistake Seem Wanted
It would be an endless battle if it were all up to ego because it does not destroy and is not destroyed by itself It is like a wave it makes itself up,It rushes forward getting nowhere really it crashes
AGNES MARTIN

Battle Destroy Destroyed Ego Endless Frustration Life Pride

One must see the ideal in one’s own mind. It is like a memory – an awareness -of perfection.

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One must see the ideal in one’s own mind. It is like a memory – an awareness -of perfection.

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Popular Authors

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