Cy Twombly

Visual Arts United States 1928 – 2011 100 quotes

Abstract expressionist of scribbles evoking classical myths.

Most quoted

"I don't think I'm an abstract artist. I'm not interested in abstraction. I'm interested in the human condition, in history, in mythology, in the classical world."

— from Interview with David Sylvester, 1994

"I like things that are not quite finished, that are still in process. It's like life, it's always in process."

— from Interview with David Sylvester, 1994

"My work is not really abstract, it's more like a diary. It's about my experiences, my feelings, my thoughts."

— from Interview with Nicholas Serota, 1987

All quotes by Cy Twombly (100)

I like to work with light and shadow, to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

Interview with David Sylvester 1994

I think art should be a bit raw, a bit visceral, a bit primal.

Interview with Nicholas Serota 1987

I'm interested in the subconscious, in the unconscious, in the things that are hidden.

Interview with David Sylvester 1994

I don't think art should be about beauty. It should be about truth.

Interview with Nicholas Serota 1987

I like to create a sense of movement, of energy, of vitality in my work.

Interview with David Sylvester 1994

I think art should be a bit timeless, a bit universal, a bit eternal.

Interview with Nicholas Serota 1987

I'm interested in the process of making art, in the journey, not just the destination.

Interview with David Sylvester 1994

I don't think art should be about answers. It should be about questions.

Interview with Nicholas Serota 1987

I like to work with my intuition, with my instincts, with my gut feeling.

Interview with David Sylvester 1994

I think art should be a bit of a mystery, a bit of a puzzle, a bit of a riddle.

Interview with Nicholas Serota 1987

My hand has a life of its own.

Interview 1970

Painting is like making love; it's an act of passion.

Speech 1980

The line is the beginning of everything.

Letter 1965

I don't paint things; I paint feelings.

Interview 1955

History is a scribble on the wall.

Book 1990

Mythology is the poetry of the ancients.

Speech 1975

The canvas is a battlefield of emotions.

Personal reflection 1960

I am not interested in the finished product, but in the process.

Interview 1985

Graffiti is the voice of the street.

Letter 1950

Art is a form of graffiti on the soul.

Book 2000