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I often told the fanatics of realism that there is no such thing as realism in art: it only exists in the mind of the observer. Art is a symbol, a thing conjuring up reality in our mental image. That is why I don't see any contradiction between abstract and figurative art either.

Antoni Tapies

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Antoni Tapies
Age: 88 †
Born: 1923
Born: December 13
Died: 2012
Died: February 6
Artist
Graphic Artist
Illustrator
Painter
Sculptor
Barcelona
Spain
Antonio Tapies
O Tapies
Antoni Tàpies i Puig
Antonio Tapies Puig
Antoni Tapies
Antoni Tàpies Puig
Tapies
Antoni Tapies i Puig
Antoni Tapies Puig
Exists
Observer
Thing
Fanatics
Mind
Mental
Observers
Image
Realism
Told
Symbol
Either
Contradiction
Often
Symbols
Figurative
Art
Abstract
Conjuring
Reality

More quotes by Antoni Tapies

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The tattoo can only exist as part of the skin, as a drawing always is an incision in the material and therefore cannot be parted from it.
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Obviously, the intention was not to go back to images traditionally valued as worthy or holy images and shapes, but exactly the opposite its main purpose had to be, to realise as sacred art anything which so far had been regarded as of little value and pitiful.
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Which country is real, mine or the teacher's? My wish is that we might progressively lose our confidence in what we think we believe and the things we consider stable and secure, in order to remind ourselves of the infinite number of things still waiting to be discovered.
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All my pictures are a kind of revision of my original idea. This is surely very different from the way in which Japanese or Chinese artists work: their themes are pre-ordained, whereas mine are invented at will.
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I would say off the cuff that I am an anxious person. I worry about everything. I need to know everything. I tend to live in a state of anxiety with the feeling that life is some kind of great catastrophe.
Antoni Tapies
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The highest wisdom adopts the humblest of bodies.
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If one draws things in a manner which provides only the barest clue to their meaning, the viewer is forced to fill in the gaps by using his own imagination. He is compelled to participate in the creative act, which I consider very important.
Antoni Tapies
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To achieve contact with reality is not to transport oneself elsewhere, it is not transcendence but thorough immersion in one's surroundings. A reality which is neither purely physical nor metaphysical, but both at once.
Antoni Tapies
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Art should startle the viewer into thinking about the meaning of life.
Antoni Tapies
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I feel the desire, or rather the intense need, to do something useful for society, and that is what stimulates me. In every situation I always look for what is positive and beneficial for my fellow citizens.
Antoni Tapies
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The material presence of the work only serves as a conveyer launching an invitation to the observer to take part of the comprehensive game of the thousand and one emotions and visions.
Antoni Tapies
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An image means nothing. It is just a door, leading to the next door. It will never happens that we will find the truth we are looking for just in an image it will happen behind the last door that the spectator discover the truth, because of his own efforts.
Antoni Tapies
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Painting quickly is a calculated act to block out rational thought.
Antoni Tapies