"I always have a good reason for taking something out but I never have one for putting something in. And I don't want to, because that means that the picture is being painted predigested"
- Robert Rauschenberg
About this Quote
This quote by Robert Rauschenberg talks to the imaginative process of making art. He is recommending that when creating a piece of art, it is very important to remove components that don't work, however it is similarly essential to not include elements that are not necessary. He is stressing the significance of allowing the art to be developed organically, without any predetermined ideas or expectations. He is suggesting that if the artist is including aspects that have actually already been predetermined, then the art is being "predigested" and the creative process is being suppressed. This quote speaks with the importance of allowing the creative process to unfold naturally, without any established concepts or expectations. It is a tip to artists to trust their instincts and to allow the art to be developed naturally.