Arshile Gorky Quotes

United States, Painter
April 15, 1904 – July, 21, 1948.

Arshile Gorky was an Armenian-American painter, who had a seminal influence on Abstract Expressionism. He spent most his life as a national of the United States. Along with Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, Gorky has been hailed as one of the most powerful American painters of the 20th century. As such, his works were often speculated to have been informed by the suffering and loss he experienced in the Armenian Genocide.

Art comes instinctively to us, but it is so uncertain. I have in front of me photographs of all Picasso’s best works. The mere I admire them the further I feel myself removed from all art, it seems so easy, so limited! We are part of the world creation, and we ourselves create nothing.

Arshile Gorky
When I feel tired and discouraged and I lie down on the sofa, then I think of the simplest thing I can – a piece of string – and I go in it and paint it. That's the way to keep painting – to create something inside that makes you want to recreate it.

Arshile Gorky
- Tired
- Paint
- Recreate

I was with Cézanne for a long time, and now naturally I am with Picasso.

Arshile Gorky
Movement is the translation of life, and if art depicts life, movement should come into art, since we are only aware of living because it moves.

Arshile Gorky
- Life
- Art
- Movement
I have to go away, but with regrets and with the firm intention to come back soon. I consider most sound I am an individual Gorky – and it is my individual feeling which counts for the most. Why? I do not know nor do I wish to know. I accept it as a fact, which does not need explanation.

Arshile Gorky
- Accept
- Fact
- Go Away
..poor art for poor people.

Arshile Gorky
- People
- Art
- Poor
It would be a sad thing for an artist if he knew how to paint. – so sad. An artist paints because it is a challenge to him – it is like trying to twist the devil. If you overcome it, there is no sport left. I don't even like to talk about painting. It is impossible to talk about painting because I don't know what it is. If I knew what it was I would get out a patent and then no one else would be able to paint.

Arshile Gorky
- Artist
- Challenge
- Paint
You know how fussy and particular I am in painting. I am ever removing the paint and repainting the spot until I am completely exhausted.

Arshile Gorky
- Paint
- Exhausted
- Spot

Stuart Davis.. ..is one of but few, who realized his canvas as a.. ..two-dimensional surface plane.

Arshile Gorky