--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would never put a sculpture in front of…" description: "\"I would never put a sculpture in front of a painting, so that it is difficult to see the painting. I always place each thing so you can see it isolated..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/254/michael-craig-martin-9157_artist_i-would-never-put-a-sculpture-in-front-o_2509737.jpg" --- # I would never put a sculpture in front of a painting, so… ![“I would never put a sculpture in front of a painting, so that it is difficult to see the painting. I always place each thing so you can see it isolated. You can focus on every individual work.” quote by Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/254/michael-craig-martin-9157_artist_i-would-never-put-a-sculpture-in-front-o_2509737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/254/michael-craig-martin-9157_artist_i-would-never-put-a-sculpture-in-front-o_2509737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/254/michael-craig-martin-9157_artist_i-would-never-put-a-sculpture-in-front-o_2509737.jpg) > “I would never put a sculpture in front of a painting, so that it is difficult to see the painting. I always place each thing so you can see it isolated. You can focus on every individual work.” [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. He explains his practice of arranging artworks so each can be viewed independently, emphasizing clarity and focus on individual pieces. **In simple terms:** He wants each artwork to be seen on its own. Key Takeaway Arrange works to allow isolated appreciation. Themes art presentation clarity focus Mood analytical reflective Type artistic curatorial When to use this quote - gallery exhibition - museum layout - art education - design planning Key Concepts visual perception curatorial strategy artist intent Questions to Reflect On - How does isolation affect viewer interpretation? - What benefits arise from seeing works together? A Different Perspective May limit interdisciplinary dialogue between works. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-work/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Sculpture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sculpture/) ## Related quotes > [I was studying sculpture and painting and was working on a degree so I could become a teacher. 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Taiga answered, The part of the paper where nothing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-chagall/one-day-a-student-asked-taiga-what-is-the-most-difficult-part-of/) [Marc Chagall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-chagall/) > [My idea for every exhibition is we should be able to see every individual work without being distracted by the others, and it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/my-idea-for-every-exhibition-is-we-should-be-able-to-see-every/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [Usually when I go to the Summer Exhibition, I think every room is too much the same, and I loose my capacity to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/usually-when-i-go-to-the-summer-exhibition-i-think-every-room-is-too/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [Sculpture is more than painting. 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It absorbs the whole man, body and soul, thus have I passed blindly many things which belong to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beckmann/painting-is-a-very-difficult-thing-it-absorbs-the-whole-man-body-and/) [Max Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beckmann/) > [What makes you think painting is any less difficult than brain surgery?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-willard/what-makes-you-think-painting-is-any-less-difficult-than-brain-surgery/) [Christopher Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-willard/) ## 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. But it was a great time to be a young artist - I remember it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-was-poorer-than-anyone-i-d-ever-met-but-it-was-a-great-time-to-be-a/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [You can't force yourself to be something you are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/you-can-t-force-yourself-to-be-something-you-are-not/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [ \[I\] don't want people to see it \[paintings\] as a specific intention on my part. If somebody has that interest in these objects, of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/i-don-t-want-people-to-see-it-paintings-as-a-specific-intention-on-my/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [I've taken away everything I could think of, and yet what remains is enough. 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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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": "I would never put a sculpture in front of a painting, so that it is difficult to see the painting. I always place each thing so you can see it isolated. 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