Western art has a certain relationship to nature. Brice Marden More Quotes by Brice Marden More Quotes From Brice Marden I think abstraction is a very rich area. And it is upsetting that people seem to have some fear of it. I'm constantly making these statements about how you should just look at it and react to it on your own; just relax and let go. Brice Marden letting-go people thinking Remember that an artist's life is an intense search for truth. This search takes many forms. Everyone of these forms demands its own disciplines. I learned and adapted to my search. I expect nothing from you. Question the truth of anything you confront. How does it apply to yourself and the trail you are pursuing? Brice Marden discipline artist doe The possibilities of thought training are infinite, its consequences eternal, and yet few take the pains to direct their thinking into channels that will do them good, but instead leave all to chance. Brice Marden training pain thinking A work of art is a renewable source of energy. Brice Marden source energy art Western artists stand as humans looking at nature; Asian artists try to be in nature. You become one with nature rather than painting a portrait of it. That's a big shift. Brice Marden portraits artist trying Holding together a kind of tension. When you see a painting that's really good that's what it's doing. Brice Marden painting kind together When you're using a long brush, you have your arm at full length. Basically, it exaggerates the movement of your body. But I always start far away and end up really close. Brice Marden movement body long A painting, you know, it's all dirty material. But it's about transformation. Taking that earth, that heavy earthen kind of thing, turning it into air and light. Brice Marden light air dirty I've always worn a hat when I work. I think it also comes from a picture of Rothko I saw with a painter's hat on. Brice Marden hats saws thinking Painters are amongst the priests - worker priests of the cult of man - searching to understand but never know. Brice Marden painter priests men I'm an abstract painter not just for myself, but because I really believe in abstraction. Brice Marden painter abstract believe I don't remember any dream. All I remember is waking up and feeling that there had been a change while I was sleeping. Brice Marden dream feelings sleep In this kind of super-capitalistic society, everything is turned into money. And one of the great things about art is it isn't worth anything. It's absolutely free. It's going to get made no matter what. Brice Marden kind matter art When you're not smoking anymore, you don't have to carry around a pack of cigarettes, a lighter - all this paraphernalia. So you're liberated in a certain sense. It's the same with drinking. Brice Marden cigarette drinking smoking I respect all artists, just some more than the others. Because it's something that really needs to be done. Brice Marden done artist needs Being an artist is very independent thinking, although there's always going to be a lot of doubt. Brice Marden independent artist thinking You can't say I'm going to become a painter in the same way you say I'm going to become a dentist. Or maybe you can nowadays. But it's an endeavor. Brice Marden dentist endeavor way Abstraction has always been around, since the drawings in the caves. It exists in all cultures all over the world. I thought for a while that it was going to be the major movement. But people always drift back to realism. I guess there is a certain security in that. Brice Marden drawing culture people I'm much more concerned about what artists think. But as you get older you tend to get much more isolated; you're not out in the bar, having long drunken arguments on the benefits of your work vs. someone else's. It's hard to know how people are looking at it, and you don't get much feedback. The written critical stuff seems to be the feedback, but that's hard to interpret. Brice Marden artist long thinking I smoke pot when I work. I take a couple of tokes before I start. It just loosens you up. Brice Marden smoke couple pot
