Robert Rauschenberg Quotes about Art

You begin with the possibilities of the material.

Understanding is a form of blindness. Good art, I think, can never be understood.

I feel strong in my belief, based on my widely traveled collaborations, that a one-to-one contact through art contains potent peaceful powers, and is the most non-elitist way to share information, hopefully seducing us into creating mutual understandings for the benefit of all.

It is neither Art for Art, nor Art against Art. I am for Art, but for Art that has nothing to do with Art. Art has everything to do with life, but it has nothing to do with Art.

Painting relates to both art and life. Neither can be made - I try to act in the gap.

For me there is no difference between art and life.

I don't think of myself as making art. I do what I do because I want to, because painting is the best way I've found to get along with myself.

My art is about paying attention - about the extremely dangerous possibility that you might be art.

My concern is never art, but always what art can be used for.

You can't make either life or art, you have to work in the hole in between, which is undefined. That's what makes the adventure of painting.

Art is a means to function thoroughly and passionately in a world that has a lot more to it than paint.

There was a whole language that I could never make function for myself; it revolved around words like 'tortured', 'struggle'. 'pain'.. .I could never see these qualities in paint - I could see them in life and art that illustrates life. But I could not see such conflicts in the materials and I knew that it had to be in the attitude of the painter.

I don't think there's anything really wrong with influence because I think that one can use another man's art as material either literally or just implying that they're doing that, without it representing a lack of a point of view.

This was my first encounter with art as art (he saw 'Pinky' painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence and 'The Blue Boy" painted by Thomas Gainborough).. ..somebody actually MADE those paintings.. ..(it) was the first time I realized you could be an artist.

This telegram is a work of art if I say it is.