|

|

Advertisements

Ben Shahn Quotes

Personal style, be it that of Michelangelo, or that of Tintoretto... has always been that peculiar personal rapport which has developed between an artist and his medium Picture Quote #1

In 38, this time I did a job for Mr. Stryker. I went on his payroll at about half the salary I was getting before, to cover what he called Harvest in Ohio Picture Quote #1

I was so impressed with the work we were doing and I was very involved ideologically in photography - that I arranged an exhibition at the College Art Association. The first exhibition I picked the photographs and so on and we had an exhibition in New York Picture Quote #1

I remember traveling around in Arkansas with Senator Robinson, and I told him what this little trick was. He felt very much part of it and had me take pictures of people unbeknownst to them Picture Quote #1

I did take my camera along, as I felt there wouldn’t be enough time to draw the things I wanted to do. I did some drawing and did a lot of photography but I was not part of Stryker’s outfit at all Picture Quote #1

I confess that Roy was a little bit dictatorial in his editing and he ruined quite a number of my pictures, which he stopped doing later. He used to punch a hole through a negative. Some of them were incredibly valuable. He didn’t understand at the time Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

Every great historic change has been based on nonconformity, has been bought either with the blood or with the reputation of nonconformists Picture Quote #1

I didn’t care where my works were published Picture Quote #1

Whatever I get involved in, I’m totally involved, you see Picture Quote #1

It’s pretty hard to measure influence of written or visual material Picture Quote #1

Paint what you are, paint what you believe, paint what you feel Picture Quote #1

I became interested in photography when I found my own sketching was inadequate Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

Form is the shape of content Picture Quote #1

I love chaos... It’s the poetic element in a dull and ordered world Picture Quote #1

How do you paint yellow wheat against a yellow sky? You paint it jet black Picture Quote #1

Now, my knowledge of photography was terribly limited Picture Quote #1

So, I was offered this job to come down there but first it was suggested that I take a trip around the country in the areas in which we worked to see what it’s all about, and I tell you that was a revelation to me Picture Quote #1

It’s a little bit like my inability to read a guide book before I go anywhere. I can read it after I’ve been there and by the same logic I refuse to accept any technical stunts from anybody. I refused to learn more than I knew and I confess I missed a great deal Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

When a man returned from the field and we’d look at the work, we’d criticize each other very genuinely and never offensively. and we would avoid all tricks, angle shots were just horrible to us Picture Quote #1

I’ve been asked a great deal about the influence I’ve had with my work and it’s impossible to say, you know Picture Quote #1

I still love to look at photographs but I couldn’t do it myself anymore Picture Quote #1

An amateur is someone who supports himself with outside jobs which enable him to paint. A professional is someone whose wife works to enable him to paint Picture Quote #1

Each artist comes to the painting or sculpture because there he can be told that he, the individual, transcends all classes and flouts all predictions. In the work of art, he finds his uniqueness confirmed Picture Quote #1

Only an individual can imagine, invent, or create. The whole audience of art is an audience of individuals Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

If you’re going to be an artist, all life is your subject. And all your experience is part of your art. A youngster told me recently that he was going to give himself a year to see if he has talent. A year! It takes a lifetime to see if you have it. Painting is total engagement Picture Quote #1

I feel, having the choices I had, I felt I had more control over my own medium than I did over photography Picture Quote #1

I was primarily interested in people, and people in action, so that I did nothing photographically in the sense of doing buildings for their own sake or a still life or anything like that Picture Quote #1

Of course I realize that photography is not the technical facility as much as it is the eye, and this decision that one makes for the moment at which you are going to snap, you know Picture Quote #1

When you talk about war on poverty it doesn’t mean very much; but if you can show to some degree this sort of thing then you can show a great deal more of how people are living and a very great percentage of our people today Picture Quote #1

I believe that if it were left to artists to choose their own labels, most would choose none Picture Quote #1

1 2

Friendship Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

Advertisements

Text Quotes

Personal style, be it that of Michelangelo, or that of Tintoretto... has always been that peculiar personal rapport which has developed between an artist and his medium (Ben Shahn Quotes) In 38, this time I did a job for Mr. Stryker. I went on his payroll at about half the salary I was getting before, to cover what he called Harvest in Ohio (Ben Shahn Quotes) I was so impressed with the work we were doing and I was very involved ideologically in photography - that I arranged an exhibition at the College Art Association. The first exhibition I picked the photographs and so on and we had an exhibition in New York (Ben Shahn Quotes) I remember traveling around in Arkansas with Senator Robinson, and I told him what this little trick was. He felt very much part of it and had me take pictures of people unbeknownst to them (Ben Shahn Quotes) I did take my camera along, as I felt there wouldn’t be enough time to draw the things I wanted to do. I did some drawing and did a lot of photography but I was not part of Stryker’s outfit at all (Ben Shahn Quotes) I confess that Roy was a little bit dictatorial in his editing and he ruined quite a number of my pictures, which he stopped doing later. He used to punch a hole through a negative. Some of them were incredibly valuable. He didn’t understand at the time (Ben Shahn Quotes) Every great historic change has been based on nonconformity, has been bought either with the blood or with the reputation of nonconformists (Ben Shahn Quotes) I didn’t care where my works were published (Ben Shahn Quotes) Whatever I get involved in, I’m totally involved, you see (Ben Shahn Quotes) It’s pretty hard to measure influence of written or visual material (Ben Shahn Quotes) Paint what you are, paint what you believe, paint what you feel (Ben Shahn Quotes) I became interested in photography when I found my own sketching was inadequate (Ben Shahn Quotes) Form is the shape of content (Ben Shahn Quotes) I love chaos... It’s the poetic element in a dull and ordered world (Ben Shahn Quotes) How do you paint yellow wheat against a yellow sky? You paint it jet black (Ben Shahn Quotes) Now, my knowledge of photography was terribly limited (Ben Shahn Quotes) So, I was offered this job to come down there but first it was suggested that I take a trip around the country in the areas in which we worked to see what it’s all about, and I tell you that was a revelation to me (Ben Shahn Quotes) It’s a little bit like my inability to read a guide book before I go anywhere. I can read it after I’ve been there and by the same logic I refuse to accept any technical stunts from anybody. I refused to learn more than I knew and I confess I missed a great deal (Ben Shahn Quotes) When a man returned from the field and we’d look at the work, we’d criticize each other very genuinely and never offensively. and we would avoid all tricks, angle shots were just horrible to us (Ben Shahn Quotes) I’ve been asked a great deal about the influence I’ve had with my work and it’s impossible to say, you know (Ben Shahn Quotes) I still love to look at photographs but I couldn’t do it myself anymore (Ben Shahn Quotes) An amateur is someone who supports himself with outside jobs which enable him to paint. A professional is someone whose wife works to enable him to paint (Ben Shahn Quotes) Each artist comes to the painting or sculpture because there he can be told that he, the individual, transcends all classes and flouts all predictions. In the work of art, he finds his uniqueness confirmed (Ben Shahn Quotes) Only an individual can imagine, invent, or create. The whole audience of art is an audience of individuals (Ben Shahn Quotes) If you’re going to be an artist, all life is your subject. And all your experience is part of your art. A youngster told me recently that he was going to give himself a year to see if he has talent. A year! It takes a lifetime to see if you have it. Painting is total engagement (Ben Shahn Quotes) I feel, having the choices I had, I felt I had more control over my own medium than I did over photography (Ben Shahn Quotes) I was primarily interested in people, and people in action, so that I did nothing photographically in the sense of doing buildings for their own sake or a still life or anything like that (Ben Shahn Quotes) Of course I realize that photography is not the technical facility as much as it is the eye, and this decision that one makes for the moment at which you are going to snap, you know (Ben Shahn Quotes) When you talk about war on poverty it doesn’t mean very much; but if you can show to some degree this sort of thing then you can show a great deal more of how people are living and a very great percentage of our people today (Ben Shahn Quotes) I believe that if it were left to artists to choose their own labels, most would choose none (Ben Shahn Quotes)

1 2