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Frank Auerbach Quotes

Powerful Frank Auerbach for Daily Growth

About Frank Auerbach

Frank Auerbach (born February 28, 1931) is a British figurative artist who has made significant contributions to modern portraiture and landscape painting. Born in Berlin, Germany, to Jewish parents, Auerbach immigrated with his family to England in 1939, escaping the rising threat of Nazism. He was raised in London and attended Saint Martin's School of Art (now part of the University of the Arts London) from 1948 to 1952, where he studied under David Bomberg and Victor Pasmore. Auerbach's style is characterized by his thick, impasto application of paint, which creates a sense of depth and texture in his works. His primary subjects are the human figure and urban landscapes, often depicted with a sense of emotional intensity and psychological complexity. Auerbach's most famous works include portraits of friends, family members, and fellow artists, such as "Head of E.O.W." (1958-60), "Maurice (The Boxer)" (1972-75), and "Portrait of Mark Auerbach" (1974). Auerbach's work has been greatly influenced by the Old Masters, as well as contemporary artists such as Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Edvard Munch, and Alberto Giacometti. His art is deeply rooted in the human condition, reflecting the turmoil and existential anxiety of modern life. Auerbach has received numerous awards for his work, including a CBE in 1985 and a knighthood in 2000. He continues to live and work in London, where he is regarded as one of the most important British artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Here are some quotes by Frank Auerbach that reflect his artistic philosophy: * "I want to give a sense of life, of breath, of being." * "There's always something happening in painting; there's never nothing happening." * "The more one works on the same subject, the more one penetrates into it, the more one sees in it. The same subject can be as endless as life itself." * "I paint what I feel and feel what I paint." * "There is a moment when you begin to see something and that's the exciting part, because everything suddenly makes sense."

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Drawing is a way of making sense of the world."

Frank Auerbach's quote "Drawing is a way of making sense of the world" suggests that art, specifically drawing, serves as a tool for understanding and interpreting reality. It implies that by translating our observations and experiences into visual form, we can gain deeper insights and clarify our perceptions of the world around us. The process of drawing becomes a means to organize complex thoughts and emotions, providing a unique lens through which to explore, understand, and communicate about the world.

"There's something about working from life that I find absolutely exciting, almost sexual."

This quote by Frank Auerbach suggests a deep emotional connection he feels towards his work, specifically when he creates art from live models or scenes. The use of the word "sexual" is likely meant to convey an intense passion, engagement, and fascination with the subject matter and the creative process itself. He finds the act of capturing life in art invigorating, inspiring, and perhaps even all-consuming.

"Painting is a way of trying to control chaos, and if you can't control it, then at least you can express it."

Frank Auerbach's quote signifies the artistic process as an attempt to give structure, meaning, or order to the overwhelming and unpredictable nature of reality. It suggests that art serves not only as a creative outlet but also as a means for coping with life's complexities and uncertainties. When one can't control chaos directly, they can channel it into an expression of emotion, thought, or experience, giving form to the intangible and inexplicable aspects of life. This quote sheds light on the powerful role that art plays in understanding and navigating our complex world.

"I don't think I've ever done the same picture twice."

Frank Auerbach's quote, "I don't think I've ever done the same picture twice," suggests a profound dedication to exploration and evolution in his artistic journey. It implies that he approaches each artwork as a unique entity, never repeating the exact composition or style of a previous piece. This approach fosters growth, creativity, and allows him to continually challenge himself, resulting in a diverse and dynamic body of work.

"My work is about the human condition, and the fact that we all have to live with each other in this world."

This quote by Frank Auerbach emphasizes the central theme of his art – the human experience. He suggests that his artwork serves as a reflection of humanity's shared existence on earth, focusing on our coexistence and interdependence. The human condition is depicted not only through individual portraits or scenes but also through the universal aspects of human emotions, relationships, struggles, and triumphs. Auerbach's art functions as a mirror for viewers to observe themselves, their fellow humans, and the world around us.

It seems to me madness to wake up in the morning and do something other than paint, considering that one may not wake up the following morning.

- Frank Auerbach

Madness, Other, May, Considering

The unity in any painter's work arises from the fact that a person, brought to a desperate situation, will behave in a certain way... style.

- Frank Auerbach

Fact, Certain Way, Brought, Arises

Real style is not having a program - it's how one behaves in a crisis.

- Frank Auerbach

Crisis, How, Having, Behaves

Ideally, one should have more material than one can possibly cope with.

- Frank Auerbach

More, Than, Material, Cope

To put down an ideogram of a table so that people will recognize it as a table is not the work of a painter, but to sense it for a moment as a magic carpet with a leg hanging down at each corner is the beginning of a painter's imagination.

- Frank Auerbach

Beginning, Magic, Will, Hanging

I'm hoping to make a new thing for the world that remains in the mind like a new species of living thing.

- Frank Auerbach

Mind, New, Living, Living Thing

I destroy things every day in the act of working and often recall a picture I had considered finished in order to rework it.

- Frank Auerbach

Every Day, Often, Considered, Recall

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