Quotes by Artists

One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning. Marcel Duchamp

Freedom Morning Every Because Go Office So-Called Want Wants Painter

My stay in Munich was the scene of my complete liberation. Marcel Duchamp

Complete Liberation Stay Scene Munich

Painter after painter, since the beginning of the century, has tended toward abstraction. First, the Impressionists simplified the landscape in terms of color, and then the Fauves simplified it again by adding distortion, which, for some reason, is a characteristic of our century. Marcel Duchamp

One must pass through the network of influence. One is obligated to be influenced, and one accepts this influence very naturally. From the start, one doesn't realize this. The first thing to know: one doesn't realize one is influenced. One thinks he is already liberated, and one is far from it! Marcel Duchamp

Why are all the artists so dead-set on distorting? It seems to be a reaction against photography, but I'm not sure. Marcel Duchamp

Photography Distorting Seems Reaction Sure Artists Against Why

When the vision of the 'Nude' flashed upon me, I knew that it would break forever the enslaving chains of Naturalism. Marcel Duchamp

Me Vision Would Knew Forever Break Naturalism Chains

I was never interested in looking at myself in an aesthetic mirror. My intention was always to get away from myself, though I knew perfectly well that I was using myself. Call it a little game between 'I' and 'me.' Marcel Duchamp

Can works be made which are not 'of art'? Marcel Duchamp

Art Made Which Works

Artists of all times are like the gamblers of Monte Carlo, and this blind lottery allows some to succeed and ruins others. In my opinion, neither the winners nor the losers are worth worrying about. Marcel Duchamp

I shy away from the word 'creation.' In the ordinary, social meaning of the word - well, it's very nice, but fundamentally, I don't believe in the creative function of the artist. He's a man like any other. Marcel Duchamp

I became a librarian at the Sainte-Genevieve Library in Paris. I made this gesture to rid myself of a certain milieu, a certain attitude, to have a clean conscience, but also to make a living. I was twenty-five. I had been told that one must make a living, and I believed it. Marcel Duchamp

I was highly attracted to chess for forty or forty-five years; then, little by little, my enthusiasm lessened. Marcel Duchamp

Enthusiasm Highly Attracted Chess Years Little Then Forty Forty-Five

If only America would realize that the art of Europe is finished - dead - and that America is the country of the art of the future, instead of trying to base everything she does on European traditions! Marcel Duchamp

Future Art Finished Country Everything Would Only Instead Dead She Does Traditions America Trying Realize Europe European Base

I refused to accept anything, doubted everything. So, doubting everything, I had to find something that had not existed before, something I had not thought of before. Any idea that came to me, the thing would be to turn it around and try to see it with another set of senses. Marcel Duchamp

Me Try Thought Before Doubting Everything Would Would-Be Find See Something Had Idea Accept Another Around Came Existed Any Refused Anything Senses Turn Doubted Thing Set

For me, the 'Three Stoppages' was a first gesture liberating me from the past. Marcel Duchamp

Me Three First Past Gesture Liberating

Tradition is the great misleader because it's too easy to follow what has already been done - even though you may think you're giving it a kick. I was really trying to invent, instead of merely expressing myself. Marcel Duchamp

All painting, beginning with Impressionism, is antiscientific, even Seurat. I was interested in introducing the precise and exact aspect of science, which hadn't often been done, or at least hadn't been talked about very much. Marcel Duchamp

Science Beginning Painting Introducing Exact About Talked Least Been Impressionism Very Precise Done Often Which Interested Much Aspect Even

I would have to think about it for two or three months before I decided to do something which would have meaning. And it would have to be more than just an impression or pleasure. I would need an objective, a meaning. That is the only thing that could help me. Marcel Duchamp

Me Three Before Think Months Pleasure Would About Objective Something More Only Could Impression Than Just The Only Thing Decided Which Meaning Help Thing Two Need

In French, there is an old expression, la patte, meaning the artist's touch, his personal style, his 'paw'. I wanted to get away from la patte and from all that retinal painting. Marcel Duchamp

Old Style Painting Touch French His La Get Personal Artist Wanted Personal Style Meaning Paw Expression Away

I wanted to use my possibility to be an individual, and I suppose I have, no? Marcel Duchamp

Possibility Individual Suppose Wanted Use

In France, in Europe, the young artists of any generation always act as grandsons of some great man - Poussin, for example, or Victor Hugo. They can't help it. Even if they don't believe in that, it gets in their system. And so when they come to produce something of their own, the tradition is nearly indestructible. Marcel Duchamp

Great Man Generation Example Own Young Believe France System Indestructible Great Man Some Something Come For Example Always Tradition Hugo Gets Any Artists Victor Produce Act Help Europe Even Nearly

I'm nothing else but an artist, I'm sure, and delighted to be. Marcel Duchamp

Nothing Else Delighted Sure Artist