--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At a certain moment the canvas began to…" description: "\"At a certain moment the canvas began to appear to one American painter after another as an arena in which to act-rather than as a space in which to rep..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/harold-rosenberg-12873_arena_at-a-certain-moment-the-canvas-began-to_2357455.png" --- # At a certain moment the canvas began to appear to one… ![“At a certain moment the canvas began to appear to one American painter after another as an arena in which to act-rather than as a space in which to reproduce, re-design, analyze or express an object, actual or imagined. What was to go on the canvas was not a picture but an event.” quote by Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/harold-rosenberg-12873_arena_at-a-certain-moment-the-canvas-began-to_2357455.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/harold-rosenberg-12873_arena_at-a-certain-moment-the-canvas-began-to_2357455.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/harold-rosenberg-12873_arena_at-a-certain-moment-the-canvas-began-to_2357455.png) > “At a certain moment the canvas began to appear to one American painter after another as an arena in which to act-rather than as a space in which to reproduce, re-design, analyze or express an object, actual or imagined. What was to go on the canvas was not a picture but an event.” [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rosenberg argues that painting becomes an event, not a representation, emphasizing action over depiction. **In simple terms:** Painting is an event, not a picture. Key Takeaway Focus on process, not just outcome. Themes art process action expression modernism Mood introspective energetic Type theoretical inspirational When to use this quote - studio practice - gallery exhibition - art criticism - creative workshops Key Concepts Abstract expressionism performative art event theory Questions to Reflect On - How does viewing a painting as an event change your engagement? - What responsibilities does the artist have in this active approach? A Different Perspective May overlook narrative content or viewer interpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canvas/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The ability to be the first African-American painter to paint the first African-American president of the United States is absolutely overwhelming. It doesn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/the-ability-to-be-the-first-african-american-painter-to-paint-the/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [“When the world one loves is seen to be dying, the viewer dies a little with it. A great American painter, Reginald Marsh, exemplifies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-world-one-loves-is-seen-to-be-dying-the-viewer-dies-a-little/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I didn't think much about Marsden Hartley until very recently, but Gertrude Stein found him to be the best American painter in Europe at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-indiana/i-didn-t-think-much-about-marsden-hartley-until-very-recently-but/) [Robert Indiana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-indiana/) > [The only other things I got from the abstract expressionists is the absolute belief that this canvas is the complete total area of struggle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-siskind/the-only-other-things-i-got-from-the-abstract-expressionists-is-the/) [Aaron Siskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-siskind/) > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Most of my films I call arena films. I deal with a confined area -- an arena -- and I try to cover every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/most-of-my-films-i-call-arena-films-i-deal-with-a-confined-area-an/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [Every NBA arena has six cameras in the ceiling. The question is what does the software do with video feeds? How to surface that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/every-nba-arena-has-six-cameras-in-the-ceiling-the-question-is-what/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I've never liked talking about my personal life, ever. Ever since I was 20, I've lived in a kind of public arena; and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-dalton/i-ve-never-liked-talking-about-my-personal-life-ever-ever-since-i-was/) [Timothy Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-dalton/) > [The most difficult idea to reconcile in war is the notion that anything is going to be solved by killing a stranger, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/the-most-difficult-idea-to-reconcile-in-war-is-the-notion-that/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [ We're striving to stay in the arenas. We \[Papa Roach\] had just little things that just took our show a step up and were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-palermo/we-re-striving-to-stay-in-the-arenas-we-papa-roach-had-just-little/) [Tony Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-palermo/) > [Cannes is a sort of gladiators' arena, and that's the fun part of it. When you accept to come here to open the festival,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-dahan/cannes-is-a-sort-of-gladiators-arena-and-that-s-the-fun-part-of-it/) [Olivier Dahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-dahan/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) Sheila Kamerman > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [The sidelines are not where you want to live your life. The world needs you in the arena!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-sidelines-are-not-where-you-want-to-live-your-life-the-world/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) ## More by Harold Rosenberg > [The current demoralization of the art world is attributable at least in part to museum interference, ideological and practical, with ongoing creation in art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/the-current-demoralization-of-the-art-world-is-attributable-at-least/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [Politics in the United States consists of the struggle between those whose change has been arrested by success or failure, on one side, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/politics-in-the-united-states-consists-of-the-struggle-between-those/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [Whoever undertakes to create soon finds himself engaged in creating himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/whoever-undertakes-to-create-soon-finds-himself-engaged-in-creating/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [Kitsch is the daily art of our time, as the vase or the hymn was for earlier generations. For the sensibility it has that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/kitsch-is-the-daily-art-of-our-time-as-the-vase-or-the-hymn-was-for/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [The internationalization of art becomes a factor contributing to the estrangement of art from the artist. The sum of works of all times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/the-internationalization-of-art-becomes-a-factor-contributing-to-the/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [Both art and the artist lack identity and define themselves only through their encounter with each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/both-art-and-the-artist-lack-identity-and-define-themselves-only/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [It is not logical for art to be logical. Art goes against the grain of the times as readily as it goes with it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/it-is-not-logical-for-art-to-be-logical-art-goes-against-the-grain-of/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [The new painting has broken down every distinction between art and life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/the-new-painting-has-broken-down-every-distinction-between-art-and/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [The values to which the conservative appeals are inevitably caricatured by the individuals designated to put them into practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/the-values-to-which-the-conservative-appeals-are-inevitably/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [Imitation of the art of earlier centuries, as that done by Picasso and Modigliani , is carried on not to perpetuate ancient values but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/imitation-of-the-art-of-earlier-centuries-as-that-done-by-picasso-and/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [Abstract art as it is conceived at present is a game bequeathed to painting and sculpture by art history. One who accepts its premises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/abstract-art-as-it-is-conceived-at-present-is-a-game-bequeathed-to/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [A painting that is an act is inseparable from the biography of the artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/a-painting-that-is-an-act-is-inseparable-from-the-biography-of-the/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [The skills of the modern artist are the opposite of those of the craftsman: instead of acquiring techniques for producing classes of objects, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/the-skills-of-the-modern-artist-are-the-opposite-of-those-of-the/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [Co-operating critics comb the studios like big-league scouts, prepared to spot the art of the future and to take lead in establishing reputations. Art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/co-operating-critics-comb-the-studios-like-big-league-scouts-prepared/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [Only conservatives believe that subversion is still being carried on in the arts and that society is being shaken by it...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/only-conservatives-believe-that-subversion-is-still-being-carried-on/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) [Explore all 52 Harold Rosenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) ## More Arena quotes > [The sidelines are not where you want to live your life. The world needs you in the arena!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-sidelines-are-not-where-you-want-to-live-your-life-the-world/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) Sheila Kamerman > [Cannes is a sort of gladiators' arena, and that's the fun part of it. When you accept to come here to open the festival,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-dahan/cannes-is-a-sort-of-gladiators-arena-and-that-s-the-fun-part-of-it/) [Olivier Dahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-dahan/) > [ We're striving to stay in the arenas. We \[Papa Roach\] had just little things that just took our show a step up and were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-palermo/we-re-striving-to-stay-in-the-arenas-we-papa-roach-had-just-little/) [Tony Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-palermo/) > [The most difficult idea to reconcile in war is the notion that anything is going to be solved by killing a stranger, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/the-most-difficult-idea-to-reconcile-in-war-is-the-notion-that/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [I've never liked talking about my personal life, ever. Ever since I was 20, I've lived in a kind of public arena; and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-dalton/i-ve-never-liked-talking-about-my-personal-life-ever-ever-since-i-was/) [Timothy Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-dalton/) > [Every NBA arena has six cameras in the ceiling. The question is what does the software do with video feeds? How to surface that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/every-nba-arena-has-six-cameras-in-the-ceiling-the-question-is-what/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Most of my films I call arena films. I deal with a confined area -- an arena -- and I try to cover every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/most-of-my-films-i-call-arena-films-i-deal-with-a-confined-area-an/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [The rules of survival never change, whether you're in a desert or in an arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/the-rules-of-survival-never-change-whether-you-re-in-a-desert-or-in/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [We live in a very pluralistic society today. There are Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, atheists, Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Christians like me. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-live-in-a-very-pluralistic-society-today-there-are-buddhists/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I just like playing music and doing it with people that I care about. It doesn't really matter where. It's like, 'Why don't we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-klinghoffer/i-just-like-playing-music-and-doing-it-with-people-that-i-care-about/) [Josh Klinghoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-klinghoffer/) > [Successful weight management really means a permanent change in lifestyle - and success in this arena provides that person with a great opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/successful-weight-management-really-means-a-permanent-change-in/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) Browse all 674 Arena quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At a certain moment the canvas began to appear to one American painter after another as an arena in which to act-rather than as a space in which to reproduce, re-design, analyze or express an object, actual or imagined. 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