--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What a funny thing painting is. The…" description: "\"What a funny thing painting is. The abstract painters always insist on their connection with the visible reality, while the so called figurative artist..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/marlene-dumas-28297_abstract_what-a-funny-thing-painting-is-the-abstr_1207763.png" --- # What a funny thing painting is. The abstract painters… ![“What a funny thing painting is. The abstract painters always insist on their connection with the visible reality, while the so called figurative artists insist that what they really care about, is the abstract qualities of life.” quote by Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/marlene-dumas-28297_abstract_what-a-funny-thing-painting-is-the-abstr_1207763.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/marlene-dumas-28297_abstract_what-a-funny-thing-painting-is-the-abstr_1207763.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/marlene-dumas-28297_abstract_what-a-funny-thing-painting-is-the-abstr_1207763.png) > “What a funny thing painting is. The abstract painters always insist on their connection with the visible reality, while the so called figurative artists insist that what they really care about, is the abstract qualities of life.” [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Abstract painters claim ties to visible reality, while figurative artists focus on life's abstract qualities, highlighting a paradox in artistic intent. **In simple terms:** Artists paradoxically claim opposite focuses. Key Takeaway Recognize that both perspectives enrich art. Themes artistic paradox perspective abstraction reality interpretation Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - gallery discussions - art criticism - creative workshops - educational lectures Key Concepts Aesthetic theory art criticism philosophy of art Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile visible and invisible elements in art? - Can opposing viewpoints coexist productively? A Different Perspective Some may argue the distinction is forced and limits creative freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Funny things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-things/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-of-life/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [My gallery represents a lot of figurative artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gagosian/my-gallery-represents-a-lot-of-figurative-artists/) [Larry Gagosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gagosian/) > [Abstract qualities begin With capitals alway: The True, the Good, the Beautiful- Those are the things that pay!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/abstract-qualities-begin-with-capitals-alway-the-true-the-good-the/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [ I’ve always assumed that the abstract qualities of \[my\] photographs are obvious. For instance, I can turn them upside down and they’re still interesting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-eggleston/i-ve-always-assumed-that-the-abstract-qualities-of-my-photographs-are/) [William Eggleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-eggleston/) > [Representational painters: loosen the grip of inflexibility! Abstract painters: tighten your hold on crafting your images! In both types of painting students need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-l-goldberg/representational-painters-loosen-the-grip-of-inflexibility-abstract/) [Joshua L. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-l-goldberg/) > [Maybe I was a little jealous or envious of the abstract painters - but the truth was I thought what they were doing was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-rivers/maybe-i-was-a-little-jealous-or-envious-of-the-abstract-painters-but/) [Larry Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-rivers/) > [The overscaled compositions being produced by so many abstract painters, which are full of movement and use of color, are ideal example, ideal transformations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-day-truex/the-overscaled-compositions-being-produced-by-so-many-abstract/) [Van Day Truex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-day-truex/) > [Abstract painters: redefine your perspectives. Think in terms of the whole, not simply its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-l-goldberg/abstract-painters-redefine-your-perspectives-think-in-terms-of-the/) [Joshua L. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-l-goldberg/) > [A lot of abstract painters seem to be doing everything all at once now. And so these different styles are jibing and not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-ruscha/a-lot-of-abstract-painters-seem-to-be-doing-everything-all-at-once/) [Edward Ruscha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-ruscha/) > [Abstract painting is abstract. It confronts you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/abstract-painting-is-abstract-it-confronts-you/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [“Her work was indeed elliptical, she left out everything that was essential, including logic and meaning. Her words neither described nor observed things. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nava/her-work-was-indeed-elliptical-she-left-out-everything-that-was/) [Michael Nava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nava/) > [Abstract painting is abstract. It confronts you. There was a reviewer a while back who wrote that my pictures didn't have any beginning or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/abstract-painting-is-abstract-it-confronts-you-there-was-a-reviewer-a/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [All painting, no matter what you are painting, is abstract in that it's got to be organized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/all-painting-no-matter-what-you-are-painting-is-abstract-in-that-it-s/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [When you make a painting, even abstract, there is always a sort of necessary filling-in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/when-you-make-a-painting-even-abstract-there-is-always-a-sort-of/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [When I'm not working on a children's book, I'm painting abstract paintings. That's probably the most joyous thing for me as an artist. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-grandpre/when-i-m-not-working-on-a-children-s-book-i-m-painting-abstract/) [Mary GrandPre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-grandpre/) > [Even with painting, even abstract paintings, you need the incoming of, light on the canvas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/even-with-painting-even-abstract-paintings-you-need-the-incoming-of/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) ## More by Marlene Dumas > [I do think that I'm not good at making pretty things. It doesn't come so naturally for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/i-do-think-that-i-m-not-good-at-making-pretty-things-it-doesn-t-come/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [At the moment my art is situated between the pornographic tendency to reveal everything and the erotic inclination to hide what it's all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/at-the-moment-my-art-is-situated-between-the-pornographic-tendency-to/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [Drawings are only a few lines on paper. Therefore it's easy to carry around in plastic bags. Drawings are cheaper than paintings. They don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/drawings-are-only-a-few-lines-on-paper-therefore-it-s-easy-to-carry/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [My best works are erotic displays of mental confusions.. with intrusions of irrelevant information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/my-best-works-are-erotic-displays-of-mental-confusions-with/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [I'm always so sick of myself after a show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/i-m-always-so-sick-of-myself-after-a-show/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [I have always been interested in how you can depict suffering without being heavy-handed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/i-have-always-been-interested-in-how-you-can-depict-suffering-without/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [The best works do not necessarily get to auction. I like to draw, so maybe I give you a little drawing. And then eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/the-best-works-do-not-necessarily-get-to-auction-i-like-to-draw-so/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [When Black and White are colors and not races, people will still fall in love and discriminate between partners and feel sad and bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/when-black-and-white-are-colors-and-not-races-people-will-still-fall/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [Painting doesn't freeze time. It circulates and recycles time like a wheel that turns. Those who were first might well be last. Painting is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/painting-doesn-t-freeze-time-it-circulates-and-recycles-time-like-a/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [There are these painterly things that happen while I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/there-are-these-painterly-things-that-happen-while-i-m-working/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [No painting can exist without the tension of what it figures and what it concretely consists of. The pleasure of what it could mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/no-painting-can-exist-without-the-tension-of-what-it-figures-and-what/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [There is no beauty, if it doesn't show some of the terribleness of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/there-is-no-beauty-if-it-doesn-t-show-some-of-the-terribleness-of-life/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [I am against: general ideas / the nude / the appropriation of images / the mystification of the untitled / the glorification of artistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/i-am-against-general-ideas-the-nude-the-appropriation-of-images-the/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [I think I am probably a lot like my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/i-think-i-am-probably-a-lot-like-my-father/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [I don't go to a psychiatrist. I don't go to a gym. I run away from my accountant, I run away from my dentist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/i-don-t-go-to-a-psychiatrist-i-don-t-go-to-a-gym-i-run-away-from-my/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) [Explore all 19 Marlene Dumas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) ## More Abstract quotes > [Love is like that, fragile and light. 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It's sort of an abstract silliness, that sometimes the joke isn't the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/describing-comic-sensibility-is-near-impossible-it-s-sort-of-an/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The word of the Lord never comes to us as an opinion, no attempt is made to support it by argument, it comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-w-ivins/the-word-of-the-lord-never-comes-to-us-as-an-opinion-no-attempt-is/) Anthony W. Ivins > [A mobile is an abstract sculpture made chiefly out of sheet metal, steel rods, wire and wood. Some or all of these elements move,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-calder/a-mobile-is-an-abstract-sculpture-made-chiefly-out-of-sheet-metal/) [Alexander Calder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-calder/) > [I'm this superphilosophical kind of person. 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