Willi Baumeister

The work of art forms a cosmos that asserts itself parallel to nature" - Quotes from Willi Baumeister

On Art

1943

Naturalism is distant from nature. The more naturalist a painting is, the more it becomes a wax corpse. It ignores the era. (The Unknown in Art [Das Unbekannte in der Kunst], 4th edition, 109)

1943

The artistic is infinite, like metamorphoses in nature. It constantly surpasses the average in perceiving, thinking, and manmade social laws because it comes from original life. (The Unknown in Art [Das Unbekannte in der Kunst], 4th edition, 109)

1943

Its great works [those of current art] are always simple, self-evident, without pose. They do not look as if they were made by someone, but as if they came into being by themselves. Nature has expressed itself. (The Unknown in Art [Das Unbekannte in der Kunst], 4th edition, 151)

1951

The mysterious power of a work of art lies in its formal-abstract component, and in the relation of the representational to its artistic deformation. In all eras, art proceeded and gave the canon the purified view for the eye of humanity. (Artists See Productively [Künstler sehen produktiv], 1951)

1952

The work of art forms a cosmos that asserts itself parallel to nature. (On the Determination by Inner Laws in Art [Über das Eigengesetzliche in der Kunst], 1952)

1952

Just as in viewing real nature, the existing, felt, supreme powers are not clearly visible but still capable of being sensed; in each high work of art a power is perceivable that cannot be explained. (On the Determination by Inner Laws in Art [Über das Eigengesetzliche in der Kunst], 1952)

1952

The work of art constructs itself according to a different logic. It becomes an organism that is not based on imitation, but on what one calls creation. A drama plays out on the painted surface that is based on colors and forms, on contrasts and complements, on influences and, to a certain extent, on great detours to achieve a final harmony. (On the Determination by Inner Laws in Art [Über das Eigengesetzliche in der Kunst], 1952)

On the Artist

1943

Producing the original is not based on a comparable ability; in this sense the original artist in a high state can do nothing ... The genius can do nothing and only therewith everything. (The Unknown in Art [Das Unbekannte in der Kunst], 4th edition, 138)

1943

The original sort of artist does not actually see. Because he plunges as a front liner into the unknown with each work, he cannot predict what he will encounter... Even when the artist, moved by an incomprehensible primordial will in high consciousness of his action, says, chisels, or paints his thing, he lets himself be surprised by that which emerges through his hands. (The Unknown in Art [Das Unbekannte in der Kunst] [The Unknown in Art], 4th edition, 138)

1944

The more he [the artist] contrasts with the unknown, the more essential his artistic performance. (Diary, Sept. 1, 1944)

1950

Everything actually needs to come into being from nothing. In the moment of creation the genius knows nothing. (Lecture to students at a work art school: "The Creative Boldly Approaches the Unknown [Das Kreative geht dem Unbekannten kühn entgegen], " 1950)

1951

During his work the artist holds onto connections and almost simultaneously releases them until he comes to a creative direction. The artist comes into his unconscious state in which he is alone with his work material, with the nature of the materials and his nature. These two natures join one another. The artist is connected to the center of nature with his center. ("The Unknown in Artistic Production [Das Unbekannte in der künstlerischen Produktion], " lecture at the Munich America House, July 2, 1951)

1952

Thus for the genuine artist, the most valuable thing that he has about himself is not what others think about him. (Response to an inquiry from the South German Radio [Süddeutscher Rundfunk SDR], December 17, 1952)

On Abstract Art

1949

modern art does not form in imitation of nature, but rather like nature, parallel to nature. ("similies for nature [gleichnisse zur natur]," Der Spiegel 3, 1949)

1949

but modern pictures have practically only the content of the color and form fugue and thus there are absolutely no titles that can match the content or substance of a modern picture. the real substance of a modern picture is visible and hidden in the completely external drama of colors and forms and all their relationships to one another. ("similies for nature [gleichnisse zur natur]," Der Spiegel 3, 1949)

1952

Abstracting or abstract art does not stand in opposition to nature. Every master sets up a new relation between human and nature, between the human and the unknown and inexplicable, to the religious. In this new and newest era, which distinguishes itself from the last century in everything, a new relation between the human and nature and the inexplicable is developing again. (Response to an inquiry from the South German Radio [Süddeutscher Rundfunk SDR], December 17, 1952)

1952

Abstracting or abstract art is likewise a depiction of nature, a metaphor for nature. (Response to an inquiry from the South German Radio [Süddeutscher Rundfunk SDR], December 17, 1952)

1952

Abstract painting provides an active example of the invisible energies that constantly shape nature. (Response to an inquiry from the South German Radio [Süddeutscher Rundfunk SDR], December 17, 1952)

1953

So-called abstract painting is not abstract in the sense of a foreignness to life and humans. The artist's feelings are very natural ones. A vertical, straight line conveys a very specific sensory value that all people can receive equally. A curved line ... in contrast, conveys other sensations. Colors and color combinations likewise convey specific sensations. A dark or predominantly gray picture has a totally different expression than a more colorful or totally colorful picture. These simple possibilities of expression are also the primary expressive values in ancient art, not the representational motif. The newer sort of art gives priority to these elementary media. Parallel to art, the preference for the elementary is typical in all intellectual fields today. ("Abstract? [Abstrakt?]," Aral-Journal, issue 2, 1953)

On Viewing Art

1943

Art viewing is a simpler process than generally assumed. The state of the viewer is his starting point, not his opinion or healthy common sense. Both are suspicious of being determined by every prevailing mediocrity. (The Unknown in Art [Das Unbekannte in der Kunst], 4th edition, 12)

1949

the many-years-old exclusive habit of viewing naturalistic pictures and sculptures is the only obstacle that hinders the public from more easily finding access to contemporary art. the public ... wants to see these painted worlds according to the impressions it has before its eyes every day. ... for nonrepresentational painting one needs to make completely other demands. one must gain a completely new stance toward visual perception, which in the beginning still... takes a certain effort. ("similies for nature [gleichnisse zur natur]," Der Spiegel 3, 1949)

1950

The unnamable values of a work of art can of course be put into words just as little as a Mozart concert. One can talk about them, particularly emphasize this and that, but that is all. The substance of a work of art remains a secret, but it is there. (Lecture to students at a work art school: "The Creative Boldly Approaches the Unknown [Das Kreative geht dem Unbekannten kühn entgegen], " 1950)

1952

Viewing must lead to an experience. All the energies that the artist mentally invests radiate back during longer viewing. For that a longer viewing is necessary. It is also important that one does not judge hastily. (On the Determination by Inner Laws in Art [Über das Eigengesetzliche in der Kunst], 1952)

1952

Works of art cannot be viewed naively enough. Since we are all overloaded and almost buried by an existing tradition in painting, one first needs to forget the masters of the past when viewing modern paintings. The values of past art, tradition, should in no way be curtailed, but when viewing art of the new era one should never proceed from tradition, but should first make tabula rasa within himself. If the viewer succeeds in reaching this state of naïveté, then all conditions are available to take in the work of art. Accordingly, the state of the viewer is much more important than his existing art knowledge and derivations from it. (On the Determination by Inner Laws in Art [Über das Eigengesetzliche in der Kunst], 1952)

1952

Art belongs to the human, to make him full, to give him a balance, harmony, to enable him to face the confusing bustle of everyday life. Through the interaction with art the human is led back to himself. (Response to an inquiry from the South German Radio [Süddeutscher Rundfunk SDR], December 17, 1952)

On Seeing and Looking

1951

Original seeing is elementary, neutral, not specialist. It contains all possibilities. Mere naturalistic-reproductive seeing, the meager domain of the naturalistic art teacher, is constricting and corrupting. Seeing must proceed with a productive effort. This way, the viewer becomes an autonomous discoverer. (Artists See Productively [Künstler sehen produktiv], 1951)

1951

Original and artistic seeing is more of a looking. It does not immediately jump to the reality of things and their practical value; rather, colors and forms suffice for a meaningful seeing experience or introduce it. (Artists See Productively [Künstler sehen produktiv], 1951)

On Movement in Art

1952

The painter cannot produce real movement on his painting surface. But he can provide a feeling for movement. This apparent movement is a feature expressed in nearly all of modern art. (On the Determination by Inner Laws in Art [Über das Eigengesetzliche in der Kunst], 1952)

1952

Cézanne inserted movement and thus time substance into painting. Beginning with Cézanne, one can no longer imagine painting up to today without the feeling for movement. The statics of naturalism was thus abandoned. (Response to an inquiry from the South German Radio [Süddeutscher Rundfunk SDR], December 17, 1952)

On Drawing and the Sign

1931

One must have felt the power of a single line, the contour of a bison from prehistoric times, certainly not due to the bison. (From: De l'Art Abstrait, Paris 1931)

On the Purpose of a Jury

1950

We don't have "sailboat" yet, that must be included. (Bon mot from Willi Baumeister during the selection for a German Artist Union [Deutscher Künstlerbund] exhibition)

On Teaching

1943

The teacher's task is to empty, not to fill with his formulae. (The Unknown in Art [Das Unbekannte in der Kunst], 4th edition, 148)

1950

Art is not teachable. (Lecture to students at a work art school: "The Creative Boldly meets the Unknown [Das Kreative geht dem Unbekannten kühn entgegen], " 1950)

1952

Fame comes to him who does not think about fame. (Response to an inquiry from the South German Radio [Süddeutscher Rundfunk SDR], December 17, 1952)

On Typography

1924

The established order is the symmetrical one. ... The energy distribution of this arrangement distributes strengths and tensions to both sides. Energies and tensions mutually cancel each other out for the benefit of balance. A beginning and entrance for the eye is not provided in this system. One is continually drawn to the central axis. This arrangement in no way complies with reading... The introduction of the eye into the absolute surface-like system of the printed page can only occur by shifting the emphasis and, namely, to after the beginning. To the starting point for the text. Thus the upper left. The richly decorated initials of old handwriting were functional and thus correct. The text following now needs be hung onto this eye-catcher, like the cars on a locomotive. The basic movement leads from the upper left to the lower right. (From: "New Typography [Neue Typographie], " in Kermer 1989, 165 ff. )