Art Quotes | Beyond Motive

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Art Quotes

"Originality is the art of concealing your source."

"Originality is the art of concealing your source."

Franklin P. Jones, American Journalist

Art, Originality

348

"There is no must in art because art is free."

"There is no must in art because art is free."

Wassily Kandinsky, Russian Artist

298

"A nation devoid of art and artists cannot have a full existence."

"A nation devoid of art and artists cannot have a full existence."

Kemal Ataturk, Turkish Soldier

Art, Artists, Existence, Nation

256

"Yesterday I was thinking about the whole idea of genius and creative people, and the notion that if you create some magical art, somehow that exempts you from having to pay attention to the small things."

"Yesterday I was thinking about the whole idea of genius and creative people, and the notion that if you create some magical art, somehow that exempts you from having to pay attention to the small things."

bell hooks, American Critic

Art, Genius, People, Idea

248

"Art is a revolt against fate."

"Art is a revolt against fate."

Andre Malraux, French Author

236

"The work of art assumes the existence of the perfect spectator, and is indifferent to the fact that no such person exists."

"The work of art assumes the existence of the perfect spectator, and is indifferent to the fact that no such person exists."

E. M. Forster, English Novelist

Art, Work, Existence, Fact

235

"Yoga is an art and science of living."

"Yoga is an art and science of living."

Indra Devi, Latvian Celebrity

Art, Science, Living, Yoga

232

"To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them."

"To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them."

Elliott Erwitt, French Photographer

Art, Observation, Photography

228

"The real art of conducting consists in transitions."

"The real art of conducting consists in transitions."

Gustav Mahler, Austrian Composer

227

"I discovered the 7th art at home when I was kid, through Charlie Chaplin's movies and those of my father who shot documentaries. He was my biggest influence. So I took his camera and started shooting."

"I discovered the 7th art at home when I was kid, through Charlie Chaplin's movies and those of my father who shot documentaries. He was my biggest influence. So I took his camera and started shooting."

Lasse Hallstrom, Swedish Director

Art, Home, Movies, Father

226

"My painting is visible images which conceal nothing... they evoke mystery and indeed when one sees one of my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question 'What does that mean'? It does not mean anything, because mystery means nothing either, it is unknowable."

"My painting is visible images which conceal nothing... they evoke mystery and indeed when one sees one of my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question 'What does that mean'? It does not mean anything, because mystery means nothing either, it is unknowable."

Rene Magritte, Belgian Artist

Art, Mystery, Nothing, Painting, Question

218

"I've been fifty thousand times to the Louvre. I have copied everything in drawing, trying to understand."

"I've been fifty thousand times to the Louvre. I have copied everything in drawing, trying to understand."

Alberto Giacometti, Swiss Sculptor

216

"We have lost the art of sharing and caring."

"We have lost the art of sharing and caring."

Hun Sen, Cambodian Statesman

Art, Caring, Sharing

214

"Models are there to look like mannequins, not like real people. Art and illusion are supposed to be fantasy."

"Models are there to look like mannequins, not like real people. Art and illusion are supposed to be fantasy."

Grace Jones, Jamaican Model

Art, People, Fantasy, Illusion

209

"The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician. Therefore the physician must start from nature, with an open mind."

"The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician. Therefore the physician must start from nature, with an open mind."

Philipus Paracelsus, Swiss Scientist

Art, Nature, Healing, Mind

207

"To be a poet is a condition rather than a profession."

"To be a poet is a condition rather than a profession."

Robert Graves, Irish Novelist

Art, Profession

206

"The work of art is a scream of freedom."

"The work of art is a scream of freedom."

Christo, Bulgarian Artist

Art, Work, Freedom

202

"There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing. Defeat means to defeat the mind of contention that we harbor within."

"There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing. Defeat means to defeat the mind of contention that we harbor within."

Morihei Ueshiba, Japanese Athlete

Art, Peace, Contention, Defeat

194

"Animation is not the art of drawings that move but the art of movements that are drawn."

"Animation is not the art of drawings that move but the art of movements that are drawn."

Norman McLaren, Scottish Artist

189

"I'm trying to put more elements of the essay into my writing."

"I'm trying to put more elements of the essay into my writing."

Ryszard Kapuscinski, Polish Journalist

Art, Trying, Writing

185

"Art hath an enemy called Ignorance."

"Art hath an enemy called Ignorance."

Ben Jonson, English Poet

Art, Enemy, Ignorance

185

"I was in jail four and a half years. When I came out, I continued the same struggle against injustice, but instead of using weapons, I began to use art and cinema."

"I was in jail four and a half years. When I came out, I continued the same struggle against injustice, but instead of using weapons, I began to use art and cinema."

Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Iranian Director

Art, Cinema, Injustice, Struggle

182

"I feel that all good art is powerful and simple."

"I feel that all good art is powerful and simple."

Aulis Sallinen, Finnish Composer

181

"We have created indoor installations inside museums, like the Wrapped Floor at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago in 1968, and not monumental at all by any standards."

"We have created indoor installations inside museums, like the Wrapped Floor at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago in 1968, and not monumental at all by any standards."

Christo, Bulgarian Artist

Art, Chicago, Museums

181

"Good humor isn't a trait of character, it is an art which requires practice."

"Good humor isn't a trait of character, it is an art which requires practice."

David Seabury, American Psychologist

Art, Humor, Character, Practice

181

"The prerequisite of originality is the art of forgetting, at the proper moment, what we know."

"The prerequisite of originality is the art of forgetting, at the proper moment, what we know."

Arthur Koestler, Hungarian Novelist

Art, Originality

180

"All the world old is queer save thee and me, and even thou art a little queer."

"All the world old is queer save thee and me, and even thou art a little queer."

Robert Owen, Welsh Writer

Art, Old, World

180

"In the final analysis, a drawing simply is no longer a drawing, no matter how self-sufficient its execution may be. It is a symbol, and the more profoundly the imaginary lines of projection meet higher dimensions, the better."

"In the final analysis, a drawing simply is no longer a drawing, no matter how self-sufficient its execution may be. It is a symbol, and the more profoundly the imaginary lines of projection meet higher dimensions, the better."

Paul Klee, Swiss Artist

Art, Execution, May, Self, Symbol

177

"Thought is a strenuous art - few practice it, and then only at rare times."

"Thought is a strenuous art - few practice it, and then only at rare times."

David Ben Gurion, Israeli Statesman

Art, Thought, Practice

177

"Art is always criticized and always an outsider gets the blame."

"Art is always criticized and always an outsider gets the blame."

Ville Valo, Finnish Musician

176

"When thou art at Rome, do as they do at Rome."

"When thou art at Rome, do as they do at Rome."

Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish Novelist

174

"I like light, color, luminosity. I like things full of color and vibrant."

"I like light, color, luminosity. I like things full of color and vibrant."

Oscar de la Renta, Dominican Republican Designer

Art, Light, Dominicanrepublican

174

"If a building becomes architecture, then it is art."

"If a building becomes architecture, then it is art."

Arne Jacobsen, Danish Architect

Art, Architecture, Building

173

"I don't listen to what art critics say. I don't know anybody who needs a critic to find out what art is."

"I don't listen to what art critics say. I don't know anybody who needs a critic to find out what art is."

Jean-Michel Basquiat, American Artist

170

"One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train."

"One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train."

Morihei Ueshiba, Japanese Athlete

Art, Money, Peace, Power

168

"Art is a step from what is obvious and well-known toward what is arcane and concealed."

"Art is a step from what is obvious and well-known toward what is arcane and concealed."

Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese Philosopher

Art, Obvious, Poet, Khalil Gibran

168

"The art of the cuisine, when fully mastered, is the one human capability of which only good things can be said."

"The art of the cuisine, when fully mastered, is the one human capability of which only good things can be said."

Friedrich Durrenmatt, Swiss Author

165

"Now, to describe the process of the Wrapped Reichstag, which went from 1971 to '95, there is an entire book about that, because each one of our projects has its own book. The book is not an art book, meaning it's not written by an art historian."

"Now, to describe the process of the Wrapped Reichstag, which went from 1971 to '95, there is an entire book about that, because each one of our projects has its own book. The book is not an art book, meaning it's not written by an art historian."

Christo, Bulgarian Artist

Art, Meaning, Now, Projects

157

"Politics is the art of postponing decisions until they are no longer relevant."

"Politics is the art of postponing decisions until they are no longer relevant."

Henri Queuille, French Politician

Art, Politics, Decisions

157

"Art is why I get up in the morning but my definition ends there. You know I don't think its fair that I'm living for something I can't even define."

"Art is why I get up in the morning but my definition ends there. You know I don't think its fair that I'm living for something I can't even define."

Ani DiFranco, American Musician

135

"Painting is sometimes like those recipes where you do all manner of elaborate things to a duck, and then end up putting it on one side and only using the skin."

"Painting is sometimes like those recipes where you do all manner of elaborate things to a duck, and then end up putting it on one side and only using the skin."

Lucian Freud, British Artist

Art, End, Painting, Skin

133

"It is not accidental that our greatest art is intimate and not monumental."

"It is not accidental that our greatest art is intimate and not monumental."

Max Weber, German Economist

Art, American, Sociologist

131

"Diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice doggie" until you can find a rock."

"Diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice doggie" until you can find a rock."

Will Rogers, American Actor

Art, Diplomacy, Saying

131

"Medicine is not only a science; it is also an art. It does not consist of compounding pills and plasters; it deals with the very processes of life, which must be understood before they may be guided."

"Medicine is not only a science; it is also an art. It does not consist of compounding pills and plasters; it deals with the very processes of life, which must be understood before they may be guided."

Paracelsus, Swiss Scientist

Art, Life, Science, Deals

130

"The most seductive thing about art is the personality of the artist himself."

"The most seductive thing about art is the personality of the artist himself."

Paul Cezanne, French Artist

Art, Personality

128

"Art is too serious to be taken seriously."

"Art is too serious to be taken seriously."

Ad Reinhardt, American Artist

122

"Without art the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable."

"Without art the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable."

George Bernard Shaw, Irish Dramatist

Art, Reality, World, Beauty

122

"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home."

"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home."

Twyla Tharp, American Dancer

112

"Art is vice. You don't marry it legitimately, you rape it."

"Art is vice. You don't marry it legitimately, you rape it."

Edgar Degas, French Artist

111

"One doesn't make art for other people, even though I am very concerned with the viewer."

"One doesn't make art for other people, even though I am very concerned with the viewer."

Anish Kapoor, Indian Artist

107

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