I never said the camera was truth. It is, however, a more accurate and more objective way of seeing.
Chuck CloseRead
Neurologically, I'm a quadriplegic, so virtually everything about my work has been driven by my learning disabilities, which are quite severe, and my lack of facial recognition, which I'm sure is what drove me to paint portraits in the first place.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Chuck Close emphasizes how his neurological challenges have shaped his artistic journey, especially in portrait painting.
In this quote, Chuck Close reflects on his experience as an artist who faces significant neurological challenges, including learning disabilities and facial recognition issues. He suggests that these challenges have not only influenced his life but have also driven his creativity in painting portraits. This highlights a profound interaction between personal adversity and artistic expression, suggesting that obstacles can sometimes serve as powerful motivators for creative achievement.
Themes
ArtChallengesCreativityDisabilitiesPortrait
In practice
Example use cases
During a gallery opening, one might say, 'This piece reflects how challenges can lead to incredible creativity, just like Chuck Close's work was shaped by his disabilities.'
More from Chuck Close
All quotes →A photograph doesn't gain weight or lose weight, or change from being happy to being sad. It's frozen. You can use it, then recycle it.
Chuck CloseRead
The advice I like to give young artists, or really anybody who’ll listen to me, is not to wait around for inspiration. Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work.
Chuck CloseRead
Part of the joy of looking at art is getting in sync in some ways with the decision-making process that the artist used and the record that's embedded in the work.
Chuck CloseRead
Losing my father at a tender age was extremely important in being able to accept what happened to me later when I became a quadriplegic.
Chuck CloseRead
All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself.
Chuck CloseRead
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