20.7.07


Ad Reinhardt

An artist, a fine-artist or free-artist


An artist-as-artist,
Has always nothing to say,
And he must say this over and over again.
Especially in his work
What else is there to say?
In work or words
What in hell, on earth, or in heaven, is an artist up to
when he says he has something to say?
All artists-as-artists say the same thing
The post-historic artist is the timeless artist-as-artist.
The artist-as-artist is the post-historic artist.
The post-historic artist is the
artist aware of himself as artist,
aware of art-as-art,
aware of everything that is not art-in-art,
inside or outside art.
The only way to say what an artist-as-artist is
is to say what an artist-as-artist is not.
A fine artist by definition is not a commercial
or industrial or fashion
or applied or useful artist.
A fine, free or liberal or abstract artist
is by definition not a servile
or professional or meaningful artist.
A fine artist has no use for use,
no meaning for meaning,
no need for any need.
A fine artist has nothing to use,
has no need for any meaning,
and would not use himself or his work for anything
A fine artist by definition
does not use or need any ideas or images,
does not use or need any help,
cannot use or help anyone or anything.
Only a bad artist thinks he has a good idea.
A good artist does not need anything.

From Art as Art, The selected writings of Ad Reinhardt (undated)

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