Art Quote by Gerhard Richter
“I remember that I felt I had to avoid all these sensational photos, the hanged woman, the man who shot himself, and so forth. I collected a great deal of material, including a number of banal, irrelevant photos, and then in the course of my work I came back to the very pictures I had actually wanted to avoid, which summed up the various stories.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Art and Memory, 1995
The artist describes avoiding graphic images but ultimately returning to them, realizing they are central to the narratives he wants to tell.
In simple terms: Avoiding shocking images, but they become central to storytelling.
Key Takeaway
Embrace uncomfortable material to reveal truth.
Themes
art
memory
truth
Mood
introspective
melancholic
Type
artistic
reflective
When to use this quote
- gallery c
- personal memoir
- documentary photography
Key Concepts
visual narrative
psychology of avoidance
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we shy away from disturbing images?
- How can confronting them deepen understanding?
A Different Perspective
Avoidance may cause trauma or desensitization.
