I certainly don't believe that people can read other people's minds. Robert Barry More Quotes by Robert Barry More Quotes From Robert Barry Heidegger wrote a book called Was Ist Das Ding - What Is a Thing? which was kind of interesting and influential to me, as a matter of fact. It's a small paperback, which I read. It's about the nature of thingness; what is it? It's a very penetrating analysis of that, and I think a rather influential book. I know other artists who have read it and come up with it. Robert Barry artist book thinking The notion of a thing, materiality, was something that I think was something very in peoples' minds when they were dealing with earth and metal and different kinds of metals and the interaction of different sorts of material. Robert Barry different mind thinking There's a kind of poetic aspect to inert gas. And remember, first of all, they were completely unknown a hundred years earlier. We just didn't know about them. And then when they were discovered in the atmosphere, the idea that this is a material that would breathe in and exhale and becomes part of us for a while made it even more intriguing. The names, the Greek names, are interesting, too - if you translate neon, xenon and so forth are kind of interesting. Robert Barry xenon names years I was a guest at CalArts. John Baldessari invited me out a few times. I've been there. I've been in Pasadena, taught out at Boulder, University of Colorado. And I've taught in Europe. I've lectured and taught. I've taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Nigne [sp]. I was there for a couple of weeks, I was there. I've taught all over - in Switzerland, Germany. Robert Barry couple europe art A word refers to something in the real world and so, in a way, does a photo. It's not the thing itself, but it's a kind of suggestion of where you might look for that thing. Robert Barry real might way The idea of words and photos was something that appealed to me. Robert Barry ideas I always took photographs. I photographed a lot of trees, by the way, which is another image I used often in my work, the tree image. Robert Barry photograph tree way If I'm reading something and a word pops up, or I just catch it, I try to mark it off and then, later, write it down on a piece of paper and add it to my list. Robert Barry reading writing trying And after a while, you just pare things down more and more and more, until you get to certain basic things which just - basic ideas which just seem to work for you over and over again. Robert Barry basic-things certain ideas Words are objects of a color and a size and a form and a shape. Robert Barry size shapes color I'm used to being the background. I'm used to having work that only lasts for a little while. I'm used to being - working in the real world, where real things are. Robert Barry real littles world I consider drawings finished works of art, first of all. However, the ideas can be something that can be developed into something larger. I don't make so many drawings anymore since I'm working with language. I used to make more when I worked with sculptural things, especially the wire pieces. Robert Barry drawing ideas art I do make some drawings for wall pieces. I do work out some ideas for large-scale wall pieces where I have to organize words or get proportions right. I do keep them in my files. Not an exhibit or a show; just as part of my records, my archives. Robert Barry wall drawing ideas The drawings that I show - the drawings that I present to people are finished works in themselves. They're meant to be thought of that way and not necessarily lead to larger pieces or anything like that. And that's the way I work now. Robert Barry drawing pieces people I do like certain kinds of frames for work. That's important. Robert Barry certain important kind I always had a fairly decent income, coming in just from the art. Robert Barry decent income art You know, there are some people who just don't - that cannot get comfortable behind the wheel of a car and always sort of think they're going to kill somebody. Robert Barry car people thinking The Vogels were quite strict in what they acquired. They never acquired a projection. They never acquired a sound piece. They were never big on photos that much, unless it was photos documenting something. They had some limitations into what they bought. Robert Barry pieces bigs sound You can't have silence on the radio; people will turn away from the station. Robert Barry radio silence people I had always taken photos - always, always taken photos, made movies. Robert Barry taken made
