Quotes by artist Francis Bacon
Aphorisms of the famous artist about art and life
"Even within the most beautiful landscape, in trees, under the leaves the insects are eating each other; violence is part of life."
"My painting is not violent; it's life that is violent."
"Painting is a duality and abstract painting is an entirely aesthetic thing. It always remains on one level. It is only really interesting in the beauty of its patterns or its shapes."
"In my case all painting... is an accident. I foresee it and yet I hardly ever carry it out as I foresee it. It transforms itself by the actual paint. id otn' in fact know very often what the paint will do, and it does many things which are very much better than I could make it do."
"My painting is not violent; it's life that is violent."
"Painting is a duality and abstract painting is an entirely aesthetic thing. It always remains on one level. It is only really interesting in the beauty of its patterns or its shapes."
"In my case all painting... is an accident. I foresee it and yet I hardly ever carry it out as I foresee it. It transforms itself by the actual paint. id otn' in fact know very often what the paint will do, and it does many things which are very much better than I could make it do."
"I believe in deeply ordered chaos."
"All colours will agree in the dark."
"Great art is always a way of concentrating, reinventing what is called fact, what we know of our existence - a reconcentration... tearing away the veils that fact acquires through time."
"The creative process is a cocktail of instinct, skill, culture and a highly creative feverishness. It is not like a drug; it is a particular state when everything happens very quickly, a mixture of consciousness and unconsciousness, of fear and pleasure; it's a little like making love, the physical act of love."
"I don't believe art is available; it's rare and curious and should be completely isolated; one is more aware of its magic the more it is isolated."
"All colours will agree in the dark."
"Great art is always a way of concentrating, reinventing what is called fact, what we know of our existence - a reconcentration... tearing away the veils that fact acquires through time."
"The creative process is a cocktail of instinct, skill, culture and a highly creative feverishness. It is not like a drug; it is a particular state when everything happens very quickly, a mixture of consciousness and unconsciousness, of fear and pleasure; it's a little like making love, the physical act of love."
"I don't believe art is available; it's rare and curious and should be completely isolated; one is more aware of its magic the more it is isolated."
You might still be interested in these articles:
Subscribe to my blog
Subscribe to our email newsletter for useful tips and valuable resources, sent out every month