Art Quote by Will Gompertz
““He considered the medium to be secondary: first and foremost was the idea. Only after an artist had settled on and developed a concept would he or she be in a position to choose a medium, and it should be the one with which the idea could most successfully be expressed. And if that meant using a porcelain urinal, so be it. In essence, art could be anything as long as the artist said so. That was a big idea.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Art of Conceptualism, The Guardian, 2015
The quote emphasizes that the concept behind a work of art is paramount, and the material used is merely a vehicle to convey that idea.
In simple terms: Ideas matter more than materials.
Prioritize concept before medium.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- gallery curation
- art education
- creative brainstorming
- design projects
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide when a medium enhances or hinders an idea?
- Can a concept be fully realized without a suitable medium?
Medium choice may limit expression if not aligned with concept.