I don't like that word 'finish'. When something is finished, that means it's dead, doesn't it? I believe in everlastingness. I never finish a paintin… - Arshile Gorky

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I don't like that word 'finish'. When something is finished, that means it's dead, doesn't it? I believe in everlastingness. I never finish a painting – I just stop working on it for a while. I like painting because it's something I never come to the end of. Sometimes I paint a picture, then I paint it all out. Sometimes I'm working on fifteen or twenty pictures at the same time. I do that because I want to – because I like to change my mind so often. The thing to do is always to keep starting to paint, never finishing painting. [quote of 1948]

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About Arshile Gorky

Arshile Gorky (15 April 1904 – 21 July 1948), born Vostanik Manoog Adoyan, was an American abstract expressionist painter of Armenian descent, living and working in New York, where he got later strongly involved with American Surrealism. He was a very close friend of Willem de Kooning who respected him as a teacher in painting.

Also Known As

Native Name: Արշիլ Գորկի
Alternative Names: Ostanik-Manuk Adoian Arshil Gorʹkiĭ Arshile Gorky Adoian Arshil Gorky Osdanig-Manug Atoyan Arshil Gorki Adoyan Wostanig Adoyan Vosdanig Manoog Adoian Ostanik-Manuk Adoyan Arshil Gorki Ostanik-Manuk Adoyean Osdanig-Manug Atoian Vostanik-Manuk Adoian Arschille Gorky Vosdanik Adoian Arshele Gorky Vosdanig Adoian Archele Gorky Archel Gorky Archele Gorki Arshile Gorkij Adoian Gorky a. gorky
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Additional quotes by Arshile Gorky

It is true – is it not – that even Ingres [French classical painter, famous for his line] had to revise – yes, the surface of the painting is smooth, finished and incorruptible as a diamond, but under the accomplished surface are pentimenti – see there at the shoulder, how the line of the black dress was lowered qua fraction and the hand was extended to give greater elegance.. .Are these not signs of the patient revision that even a genius has to make.

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