black
grey
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white

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

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
I want to emphasize the fact that we all have the same experience and the same concern, but the artist must know exactly what the experience is. He must pursue the truth relentlessly.
AGNES MARTIN

Artist Concern Emphasize Exactly Experience Feet Mind Pursue Relentlessly Same
This is the attractiveness of artwork. It is adventurous, strenuous and joyful.
AGNES MARTIN

Adventurous Artwork Attractiveness Joyful Stremous
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
It is commonly thought that everything that is can be put into words.
AGNES MARTIN

Commonly Everything Put Thought Word
I often paint tranquility. If you stop thinking and rest, then a little happiness comes into your mind. At perfect rest you are comfortable.
AGNES MARTIN

Happiness Mind Often Paint Perfect Stop Think Thinking Tranquility
I paint with my back to the world
AGNES MARTIN

Back Paint World
To progress in life you must give up the things you do not like.
AGNES MARTIN

Giving Life Like Mind Progress Thing Up
The manipulation of materials in an artwork is a result of this state of mind.
AGNES MARTIN

Artwork Manipulation Material Mind Result State
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
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
Once he sees this fact his feet are on the path. If you want to know the truth you will know it.
AGNES MARTIN

Fact Feet Know Path Truth
That which takes us by surprise-moments of happiness-that is inspiration.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Happiness Inspiration Moment Surprise Take
My paintings are certainly nonobjective. They’re just horizontal lines.
AGNES MARTIN

Art Certainly Hint Horizontal Life Nonobjective Painting Thinking
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
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

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.

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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.

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Popular Authors

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