I paint the way I do because I can keep on putting more and more things in - like drama, pain, anger, love, a figure, a horse, my ideas of space. It doesn't matter if it differs from mine, as long as it comes from the painting, which has its own integrity and intensity.
Spiritually I am wherever my spirit allows me to be, and that is not necessarily in the future... Art never seems to make me peaceful or pure.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses the complex relationship between spirituality and art, suggesting that art does not always provide the peace or clarity one seeks.
Willem De Kooning's quote reflects on the fluidity of spiritual existence and the inherent struggles within the artistic process. He acknowledges that while his spirit can transcend temporal boundaries, the act of creating art may not lead to the tranquility or purity often anticipated. This hints at the dissonance artists experience, where the pursuit of art can be fraught with internal conflict rather than the serene resolution they might hope for.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In an art class discussing the emotional struggles behind creative expression.
More from Willem De Kooning
All quotes βThe attitude that nature is chaotic and that the artist puts order into it is a very absurd point of view, I think. All that we can hope for is to put some order into ourselves.
I don't paint to live, I live to paint.
Im not someone whos ever said anything definitive about his work. In my life also I have very little fixed form. I can change overnight.
Art should not have to be a certain way.
My interest in desperation lies only in that sometimes I find myself having become desperate. Very seldom do I start out that way. I can see of course that, in the abstract, thinking and all activity is rather desperate.
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