Quotes from Wassily Kandinsky

The artist must be blind to "recognized" and "unrecognized" form, deaf to the teachings and desires of his time. His open eyes must be directed to his inner life and his ears must be constantly attuned to the voice of inner necessity.

Every work of art is the child of its age and, in many cases, the mother of our emotions. It follows that each period of culture produces an art of its own which can never be repeated. Efforts to revive the art-principles of the past will at best produce an art that is still-born. It is impossible for us to live and feel, as did the ancient Greeks.

If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles

Cada cuadro encierra misteriosamente toda una vida, toda una vida con muchos sufrimientos, dudas, horas de entusiasmo y de luz. ¿Hacia dónde clama el alma del artista, si también participó en la creación? ¿Qué proclama? «Enviar luz a las profundidades del corazón humano es la misión del artista», dice Schumann. «El pintor es un hombre que sabe dibujar y pintar todo», dice Tolstoi.

La belleza interior es la que se emplea por una necesidad interior imperiosa, renunciando a la belleza habitual. Naturalmente, parece fea al que no está acostumbrado a ella, ya que el ser humano en general tiende a lo externo y no está dispuesto a reconocer la necesidad interior (¡especialmente hoy!)

La intuición con la que nace el artistas es el talento evangélico que no debe enterrar. El artista que no utiliza sus dotes es un esclavo perezoso.

Repetition is a potent means of heightening the inner vibration and is, at the same time, a source of elementary rhythm which, in turn, is a means to the attainment of elementary harmony in every form of art.

Kandinsky did not see his divorced parents as hostile figures of authority. They were merely two very different people who were devoted to him and who, in their own way, fostered his sensitivity. But particularly in his mother he saw the best qualities - "grave, austere beauty, well-bred simplicity, boundless energy.

Thus we look upon the geometric point as the ultimate and most singular union of silence and speech.

to stand in front of some of his drawings or pictures gives a keener and more spiritual pleasure than any other kind of painting.

Cualquier creación artística es hija de su tiempo y, la mayoría de las veces, madre de nuestros propios sentimientos. Igualmente, cada periodo cultural produce un arte que le es propio y que no puede repetirse. Pretender revivir principios artísticos del pasado puede dar como resultado, en el mejor de los casos, obras de arte que sean como un niño muerto antes de nacer. Por ejemplo, es totalmente imposible sentir y vivir interiormente como lo hacían los antiguos griegos.

One hesitates to mention Derain, for his beginnings, full of vitality and promise, have given place to a dreary compromise with Cubism, without visible future, and above all without humour. But there is no better example of the development of synthetic symbolism than his first book of woodcuts.

The onlooker turns from the artist who has higher ideals and who cannot see his life purpose in an art without aims.

It has been said above that art is the child of its age. Such an art can only create an artistic feeling which is already clearly felt. This art, which has no power for the future, which is only a child of the age and cannot become a mother of the future, is a barren art. She is transitory and to all intent dies the moment the atmosphere alters which nourished her.

Renk klavye, gözler tokmaklar, ruh ise piyanodur. Sanatç? da piyanoyu çalan eldir. Tu?lara dokunarak ruhta titre?imler yarat?r.

the relationships in art are not necessarily ones of outward form, but are founded on inner sympathy of meaning.

The nightmare of materialism, which has turned the life of the universe into an evil, useless game, is not yet past; it holds the awakening soul still in its grip.

Simplicity–or rather discrimination of vision–is the trademark of the true Post-Impressionist. He observes and then selects what is essential.

That the analogy contains a grain of truth does not make it the less mischievous.

That is beautiful which is produced by the inner need, which springs from the soul.

Color provokes a psychic vibration. Color hides a power still unknown but real, which acts on every part of the human body.

The impact of the acute angle of a triangle on a circle produces an effect no less powerful than the finger of God touching the finger of Adam in Michelangelo.

The spirit, like the body, can be strengthened and developed by frequent exercise. Just as the body, if neglected, grows weaker and finally impotent, so the spirit perishes if untended.

Orange is red brought nearer to humanity by yellow.