Argument Quote by Frank Stella
“I always get into arguments with people who want to retain the old values in painting - the humanistic values that they always find on the canvas. If you pin them down, they always end up asserting that there is something there besides the paint on the canvas. My painting is based on the fact that only what can be seen there is there... What you see is what you see.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Art Talk with Frank Stella, 1995
The quote argues that art should be judged solely by its visual elements, rejecting hidden symbolic meanings or moral values.
In simple terms: Art is only what you see on the canvas.
Key Takeaway
Focus on visual perception, not hidden messages.
Themes
art
perception
materialism
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
artistic
When to use this quote
- gallery exhibitions
- art criticism
- studio practice
- education
- curation
Key Concepts
visualism
aestheticism
ontological realism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does ignoring symbolism affect artistic communication?
- Can visual purity coexist with cultural narratives?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook cultural context that enriches viewer experience.
![“Having lost religious faith and the humanistic values bound up with it, he [man] concentrated on technical and material values and lost the capacity for deep emotional experiences, for the joy and sadness that accompany them.” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6b8/erich-fromm-367_accompany_having-lost-religious-faith-and-the-huma_1980894.jpg)
![“All things change. The automobiles change every year. [Your] television set gets lighter and smaller and higher definition. All things in the scientific world change. But politicians do not change. They carry old values and they don't even know it.” quote by Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6ca/jacque-fresco-1644_all-things_all-things-change-the-automobiles-change_1455750.jpg)
