--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My work is immaterial. It's not painting…" description: "\"My work is immaterial. It's not painting, it's not sculpture, it's emotions. I'm giving you something to experience yourself.\" — Marina Abramovic" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/marina-abramovic-1502_emotion_my-work-is-immaterial-it-s-not-painting_1149080.jpg" --- # My work is immaterial. It's not painting, it's not… ![“My work is immaterial. It's not painting, it's not sculpture, it's emotions. I'm giving you something to experience yourself.” quote by Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/marina-abramovic-1502_emotion_my-work-is-immaterial-it-s-not-painting_1149080.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/marina-abramovic-1502_emotion_my-work-is-immaterial-it-s-not-painting_1149080.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/marina-abramovic-1502_emotion_my-work-is-immaterial-it-s-not-painting_1149080.jpg) > “My work is immaterial. It's not painting, it's not sculpture, it's emotions. I'm giving you something to experience yourself.” [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She emphasizes that her art is about evoking personal emotional experience rather than creating physical objects. **In simple terms:** Her art focuses on feelings, not objects. Key Takeaway Create work that invites personal emotional engagement. Themes art emotion experience performance Mood introspective provocative Type conceptual experiential When to use this quote - gallery installations - therapy sessions - educational workshops Key Concepts Phenomenology embodiment subjectivity Questions to Reflect On - How can you design experiences that evoke specific emotions? - What role does the viewer play in completing the artwork? A Different Perspective Audience interpretation may vary widely, limiting consistent messages. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Experience yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-yourself/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Immaterial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immaterial/) [Immaterial Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immaterial-painting-3238869/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Sculpture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sculpture/) [Sculpture Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sculpture-emotions-3238870/) [Work Immaterial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-immaterial-3238868/) ## Related quotes > [Immaterial art is the strongest because there's no obstacle; there's just energy, and I believe in energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/immaterial-art-is-the-strongest-because-there-s-no-obstacle-there-s/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [We see in meditation that our experiences are endless, that we are endless, eternal spirit, not as a thought or an idea you read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-see-in-meditation-that-our-experiences-are-endless-that-we-are/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [But finding a voice-let's be clear-is a political act. It defines a moment of presence, of being awake; and it involves not only self-understanding,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-rose-o-reilley/but-finding-a-voice-let-s-be-clear-is-a-political-act-it-defines-a/) [Mary Rose O'Reilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-rose-o-reilley/) > [When every moment, you experience yourself as the source of creation, not as a piece of creation, then you are realized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/when-every-moment-you-experience-yourself-as-the-source-of-creation/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [It's very rare to be in a state where there's nothing in, where you have no attachment to any idea or concept about yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-glassman/it-s-very-rare-to-be-in-a-state-where-there-s-nothing-in-where-you/) [Bernie Glassman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-glassman/) > [Every experience that you experience yourself you use, because that's our craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/every-experience-that-you-experience-yourself-you-use-because-that-s/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [If you're determined to think of yourself as limited, fearful, vulnerable, or scarred by past experience, know only that you have chosen to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/if-you-re-determined-to-think-of-yourself-as-limited-fearful-2/) [Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/) > [Experience yourself in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-schiffmann/experience-yourself-in-silence/) [Erich Schiffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-schiffmann/) > [Get scared. It will do you good. Smoke a bit, stare blankly at some ceilings, beat your head against some walls, refuse to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/get-scared-it-will-do-you-good-smoke-a-bit-stare-blankly-at-some/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [As you become multi-sensory, you begin to see yourself as a soul first and a personality second. You begin to experience yourself as more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/as-you-become-multi-sensory-you-begin-to-see-yourself-as-a-soul-first/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [One of the aspects I like about the film is that there is a kind of emotional, psychological discussion during the storytelling, ... Before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/one-of-the-aspects-i-like-about-the-film-is-that-there-is-a-kind-of/) [Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/) > [As you transition from the past and future world of the mind to the awakened world of now, you will begin to experience yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/as-you-transition-from-the-past-and-future-world-of-the-mind-to-the/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [The purpose of life is to know yourself, create yourself, experience yourself as Who You Really Are. There is no other reason to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/the-purpose-of-life-is-to-know-yourself-create-yourself-experience/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [You cannot experience yourself as what you are until you've encountered what you are not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/you-cannot-experience-yourself-as-what-you-are-until-you-ve/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/it-is-only-with-the-heart-that-one-can-see-rightly/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) ## More by Marina Abramovic > [I really think there's no difference between an art piece made by a man and one made by a woman. Is it a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-really-think-there-s-no-difference-between-an-art-piece-made-by-a/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [I hate studios. A studio is a black hole. I never use a studio to work. It's very artificial to go to a studio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-hate-studios-a-studio-is-a-black-hole-i-never-use-a-studio-to-work/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [In my work I have complete control, but about my life, I don't want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/in-my-work-i-have-complete-control-but-about-my-life-i-don-t-want-to/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Performance is there, and if you are not there in that moment it happened, it just stays in the memory. It's so immaterial and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/performance-is-there-and-if-you-are-not-there-in-that-moment-it/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [I can explain my work to the cleaner or the president; it's all the same to me. I am very communist in this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-can-explain-my-work-to-the-cleaner-or-the-president-it-s-all-the/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [My memoirs are full of humor, I had to change jokes because it was a little too dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/my-memoirs-are-full-of-humor-i-had-to-change-jokes-because-it-was-a/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [To be in a magazine when you're 20 is okay, but when you do it when you're 65, it's much more fun!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/to-be-in-a-magazine-when-you-re-20-is-okay-but-when-you-do-it-when/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Most of the time, the artists are not supposed to wear the fashion. It is always seen as a vanity. But I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/most-of-the-time-the-artists-are-not-supposed-to-wear-the-fashion-it/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [You know, art is very emotional business. But mostly it becomes not emotional, the fabric of commodity. It becomes business. It becomes so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/you-know-art-is-very-emotional-business-but-mostly-it-becomes-not/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [I didn't give any instruction to the video, because it was a new medium. I didn't know what to tell him; it was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-didn-t-give-any-instruction-to-the-video-because-it-was-a-new/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [If I'm not nervous, I'm nervous. You never know how people are going to receive the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/if-i-m-not-nervous-i-m-nervous-you-never-know-how-people-are-going-to/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Today, our attention is less than the television advertisement. We're looking at six or seven problems constantly. We're living in the disturbed societies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/today-our-attention-is-less-than-the-television-advertisement-we-re/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Art comes from life, not from the studio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/art-comes-from-life-not-from-the-studio/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [All the aggressive actions I do to myself I would never dream of doing in my own life - I am not this kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/all-the-aggressive-actions-i-do-to-myself-i-would-never-dream-of/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [It's so easy to do things you like. But then, the thing is, when you're afraid of something, face it; go for it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/it-s-so-easy-to-do-things-you-like-but-then-the-thing-is-when-you-re/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) [Explore all 234 Marina Abramovic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My work is immaterial. It's not painting, it's not sculpture, it's emotions. 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