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Cecily Brown Quotes

Powerful Cecily Brown for Daily Growth

About Cecily Brown

Cecily Brown (born 1969) is a celebrated British contemporary artist, renowned for her dynamic and expressive abstract paintings that explore themes of human emotion, desire, and the unconscious mind. Born in London, Brown was initially drawn to art through her family's connections with the art world; her mother is the painter Mary Fedden, and her father, the late R.B. Kitaj, was a prominent American-born British pop artist. However, it was not until she attended the Byam Shaw School of Art that Brown truly immersed herself in painting. In 1993, Brown graduated from the Royal College of Art with an MFA. Her early works were figurative, influenced by her training and interest in portraiture. However, it was not until the late 1990s that she started to experiment with abstraction, drawing inspiration from artists such as Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Francis Bacon. Brown's breakthrough came in 2003 when she exhibited at the Venice Biennale. Since then, she has had numerous solo exhibitions worldwide, including at the Tate Britain, London (2016), Museum of Modern Art, New York (2007), and Kunstmuseum, Basel (2009). Brown's work is characterized by her bold use of color, thick impasto, and gestural brushstrokes. She often incorporates elements of figuration into her abstract compositions, creating a tension between representation and abstraction that resonates deeply with viewers. Cecily Brown continues to push the boundaries of abstraction, exploring new techniques and approaches in her work. Her paintings are held in many prestigious collections worldwide, including those of the Tate, London, and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Despite her success, she remains a humble and dedicated artist, continually seeking new ways to express the complexities of human emotion through her art.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I'm not interested in creating an illusion of reality; I'm interested in painting the reality itself."

This quote emphasizes the artist, Cecily Brown's intent to accurately portray reality in her art rather than creating a deceptive or fantastical representation. She values authenticity and truth in her artwork over any illusion or misinterpretation of the world as it is experienced. The goal is not to create an alternative version of reality, but to paint the true essence of the real world we inhabit.

"Painting is a way of talking about the world and my relationship to it."

This quote suggests that painting, for artist Cecily Brown, serves as a means of communication or expression. Just like speaking, painting allows her to convey her thoughts, feelings, and perspectives about the world around her. In essence, her artwork functions as a dialogue between herself and her environment. It's an intimate and creative way to explore and interpret life experiences, relationships, and personal connections with the world.

"I try to paint what excites me, what moves me, what provokes me."

This quote by Cecily Brown emphasizes her creative approach as an artist, where she paints based on emotions and experiences that excite, move, or stimulate her. It suggests a deep personal connection between the artist and their work, with the artwork serving as a visual expression of their internal feelings and external influences. Essentially, the quote highlights the importance of authenticity and passion in art creation.

"My paintings are not really abstract. They're about something I saw or felt."

This quote suggests that while Cecily Brown's artworks appear abstract, they are rooted in real-world experiences or emotions she has encountered. In other words, the 'abstractness' of her paintings is a result of her personal interpretation and expression of reality rather than an attempt to create purely non-representational art.

"The process of painting is a kind of dialogue between the imagination and reality."

This quote by Cecily Brown suggests that the act of painting is a dynamic interplay between creative ideas (imagination) and tangible, observable elements (reality). Essentially, it means that the artist's mind generates an idea or vision, which then engages with the physical world to bring that concept into existence on canvas. This dialogue results in artwork that embodies both the abstract essence of the artist's thoughts and the concrete reality of the subject matter or materials used.

I have always wanted to make paintings that are impossible to walk past, paintings that grab and hold your attention. The more you look at them, the more satisfying they become for the viewer. The more time you give to the painting, the more you get back.

- Cecily Brown

Impossible, Back, Viewer, Satisfying

I often avoid using the terms 'figuration' and 'abstraction' because I've always tried to have it both ways. I want the experience of looking at one of my paintings to be similar to the process of making the painting - you go from the big picture to something very intense and detailed, and then back again.

- Cecily Brown

Big, Back, Very, Both Ways

My process is really quite organic, and starting a painting is one of the best parts for me. I always start in quite a loose and free way. I often put down one ground colour to begin with and then play off that.

- Cecily Brown

Best, Play, Down, Organic

Often, I find it really hard to see what I'm doing when I'm in the thick of things. I can get too precious and have to force myself to put my paintings aside. There's a wall in my studio where I hang paintings that I think are done or nearly done. Over time, I'll realise which ones are working and which aren't.

- Cecily Brown

Doing, Hang, Studio, Thick

I'm not the kind of artist who has an idea and then carries it out; it's more like I find what the idea was through doing the paintings.

- Cecily Brown

Doing, Artist, Through, Carries

When I moved to New York, I was waiting tables, painting in the daytime and working at night, and I felt it was possible to find a balance and just about get by.

- Cecily Brown

Waiting, New, Moved, Tables

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