Willem de Kooning

"complete text of De Kooning's lecture 'What Abstract Art Means to Me' February 5, 1951 - on the 'What is Abstract Art?' symposium, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, February 5, 1951"

"The aesthetics of painting were always in a state of development parallel to the development of painting itself. They influenced each other and vice versa. But all of the sudden, in that famous turn o…"

"Personally, I do not need a movement. What was given to me, I take for granted. Of all movements, I like Cubism most. It had that wonderful unsure atmosphere of reflection - a poetic frame where somet…"

"..the word 'abstract' comes from the light tower of the philosophers.. ..one of their spotlights that they have particularly focused on 'Art'.. .. not so much what you could paint but rather what you …"

"I had my own eyes, but I wasn't always looking in the right direction. I was certainly in need of a helping hand at times. Now I feel like Manet who said, "Yes, I am influenced by everybody. But every…"

"When, about fifteen years ago, I walked into Arshile's studio for the first time, the atmosphere was so beautiful that I got a little dizzy and when I came to, I was bright enough to take the hint imm…"

"Certain artists and critics attacked me for painting the 'Women' , but I felt that this was their problem, not mine. I don’t really feel like a non-objective painter at all.. .It's really absurd to ma…"

"The point they all had in common was to be inside and outside at the same time.. .For me, to be inside and outside is to be in an unheated studio with broken windows in the winter, or taking a nap on …"