--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I came to painting through sculpture, to…" description: "\"I came to painting through sculpture, to images through objects. I think that images sit in the middle, somewhere between objects and words.\" — Michael..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/michael-craig-martin-9157_artist_i-came-to-painting-through-sculpture-to_2471538.jpg" --- # I came to painting through sculpture, to images through… ![“I came to painting through sculpture, to images through objects. I think that images sit in the middle, somewhere between objects and words.” quote by Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/michael-craig-martin-9157_artist_i-came-to-painting-through-sculpture-to_2471538.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/michael-craig-martin-9157_artist_i-came-to-painting-through-sculpture-to_2471538.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/031/michael-craig-martin-9157_artist_i-came-to-painting-through-sculpture-to_2471538.jpg) > “I came to painting through sculpture, to images through objects. I think that images sit in the middle, somewhere between objects and words.” [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Images act as a bridge between tangible objects and abstract language, occupying a liminal space that blends visual and verbal meaning. **In simple terms:** Images link objects and words. Key Takeaway Explore the middle ground of perception. Themes art perception language Mood analytical creative Type theoretical inspirational When to use this quote - gallery curation - design projects - educational curricula Key Concepts semiotics visual theory philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you use images to convey ideas? - What limits do words have in visual art? A Different Perspective Focusing only on images may neglect the depth of language. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Sculpture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sculpture/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [If an artist has no experience before he makes a painting or a sculpture, he is not an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naum-gabo/if-an-artist-has-no-experience-before-he-makes-a-painting-or-a/) [Naum Gabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naum-gabo/) > [Three things are needed for success in painting and sculpture: to see beauty when young and accustom oneself to it, to work hard, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gian-lorenzo-bernini/three-things-are-needed-for-success-in-painting-and-sculpture-to-see/) Gian Lorenzo Bernini > [There is something that always will be true about painting and sculpture - that in order to really get it, you have to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/there-is-something-that-always-will-be-true-about-painting-and/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Painting and sculpture are very archaic forms. 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Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [The Parthenon is really only a farmyard over which someone put a roof; colonades and sculptures were added because there were people in Athens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-parthenon-is-really-only-a-farmyard-over-which-someone-put-a-roof/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) ## More by Michael Craig-Martin > [You can't honour someone by copying them or trying to be exactly like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/you-can-t-honour-someone-by-copying-them-or-trying-to-be-exactly-like/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [There is a complete difference between art and the art market. Prices are high now for the simple reason that there are people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/there-is-a-complete-difference-between-art-and-the-art-market-prices/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [I had my exhibition of paintings first in Shanghai, and then recently in Wuhan. Wuhan particularly interested me, because I am 1/8 Chinese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-had-my-exhibition-of-paintings-first-in-shanghai-and-then-recently/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [I try to make images that have the immediate presence we take for granted in objects - a chair, a shoe, a book, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-try-to-make-images-that-have-the-immediate-presence-we-take-for/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [You can see in my paintings, I've taken away the context, I've taken away the shadows, I've taken away expression, I've taken away the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/you-can-see-in-my-paintings-i-ve-taken-away-the-context-i-ve-taken/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [When I told people that I was going to paint the big room magenta, many people thought that I was crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/when-i-told-people-that-i-was-going-to-paint-the-big-room-magenta/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [I don't like the idea of nationalism, but on the other hand, I do see that there is a difference between British art, German…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-don-t-like-the-idea-of-nationalism-but-on-the-other-hand-i-do-see/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [I was poorer than anyone I'd ever met. 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These days many more people come to my work, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-ve-taken-away-everything-i-could-think-of-and-yet-what-remains-is/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [In the period of '60s to the '90s, British art schools were small, and the number of student was small. The personal contact was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/in-the-period-of-60s-to-the-90s-british-art-schools-were-small-and/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [It is very important to develop the thing that you are naturally good at, that you are truly interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/it-is-very-important-to-develop-the-thing-that-you-are-naturally-good/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [The person you admire was true to himself. You can only truly honour him by being true to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/the-person-you-admire-was-true-to-himself-you-can-only-truly-honour/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [The art world, of all worlds, has room for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/the-art-world-of-all-worlds-has-room-for-everyone/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) [Explore all 75 Michael Craig-Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) ## 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 > [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. 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