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Artists possess a unique ability to capture life’s deepest truths in a way that many of us, without their creative brilliance, cannot. Phaidon’s latest release, Art is the Highest Form of Hope, brings the insights of visual artists to the forefront, gathering some of the most impactful quotes from the art world.
In addition to the title quote by German painter Gerhard Richter, the book features the wisdom of various artists, ranging from iconic figures like Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne to contemporary creators such as Ai Weiwei, Jenny Holzer, and Theaster Gates.
Here are a few motivational sayings featured in the book.
1. STAY ORGANIZED // EUGÈNE DELACROIX
In 1823, the French Romantic painter shared in his journal: “Cultivate a well-ordered mind, for it is your only path to happiness; and to attain this, be methodical in everything, even in the smallest of details.”
2. TRANSFORM YOUR PAIN // YOKO ONO
Yoko Ono’s wisdom doesn’t need to be sought far. In March 2016, she tweeted, “Don’t discard negative emotions, instead use them … like the salt in your food.”
3. STAND BY YOUR CREATIONS // APRIL GORNIK
American landscape artist April Gornik offers this advice to those who are hesitant or modest: “Don’t act as if you’re not proud of your creations.”
4. EMBRACE SOME CHAOS // FRANCIS BACON
British painter Francis Bacon, who passed away in 1992, was known for his acceptance of the randomness in the world around him. In his 1998 book Portraits: Talking with Artists at the Met, the Modern, the Louvre, and Elsewhere, New York Times art critic Michael Kimmelman quoted Bacon as saying, “I believe in a deeply ordered chaos and in the laws of chance.”
5. ENJOY THE JOURNEY // ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG
Modern artist Robert Rauschenberg, who was awarded the 1993 National Medal of Arts among other honors, advised embracing the journey itself. In a 2005 interview with The New Yorker, he said, “I don’t know where I’m going but I’ll get there on time.” He passed away in 2008.
6. KEEP MOVING FORWARD // VINCENT VAN GOGH
Vincent van Gogh shared advice similar to Rauschenberg’s: “One must continue working quietly, leaving the outcome to the future,” he suggested.
7. FIND A DAY JOB YOU CAN LIVE WITH // JANE HAMMOND
Contemporary artist from New York City, Jane Hammond, offers practical advice for anyone struggling with a monotonous day job: “Find something that earns you money, supports your art, and that you can become skilled at to make a decent wage without truly hating it,” she recommended.
8. BELIEVE // GERHARD RICHTER
If you’re going to place your trust in the process, you’ll need to do so with a strong sense of faith, as Gerhard Richter suggests. “I believe that you always have to believe,” he shared in a 2011 interview.
9. BE CAREFUL WITH SUCCESS // PABLO PICASSO
“Success is dangerous,” said the iconic Cubist Pablo Picasso in a 1956 interview with Vogue. “You start copying yourself, and copying yourself is more perilous than copying others.”
10. LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES // AI WEIWEI
Most successful artists have faced some form of failure, whether it's years spent striving for modest recognition or a disappointing project after achieving fame. “The only thing we can do is honestly learn from our falls,” says renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei.
11. SEEK THE POSITIVE // SALVADOR DALÍ
Ai Weiwei isn’t the only artist who advocates embracing failure. Salvador Dalí once remarked in his diary, “Mistakes are almost always of a sacred nature.”
12. BE FEARLESS // ANDREA ZITTEL
California-based artist Andrea Zittel, known for her installations and sculptures, warns against excessive fear of failure. “You have to learn to feel confident about the possibility of failing because it’s bound to happen,” she shared in a 2001 interview with Bomb.
13. DISCOVER YOUR INSPIRATION // AGNES MARTIN
“Inspiration is the beginning, the middle, and the end,” said abstract expressionist Agnes Martin, who passed away in 2004 in New Mexico.
14. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU LOVE // DIANE ARBUS
Every artist has their own method for sparking inspiration, but 20th-century photographer Diane Arbus had this habit: “I like to put things around my bed all the time,” she explained during a lecture in New York City in 1970. “Pictures of mine that I like, and other things, and I change them every month or so. There’s something funny and subliminal that happens. It isn’t just looking at them. It’s looking at them when you’re not consciously aware of it. It begins to affect you in a strange way.”
15. KEEP YOUR VALUES IN CHECK // ALBERTO GIACOMETTI
While a creative life is essential, 20th-century Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti believed it’s crucial to keep broader priorities in mind. “In a burning building, I would save a cat before a Rembrandt,” he once said. And no, he didn’t mean to imply any dislike for the Dutch master.
The book is available for $25 on Amazon.
