"I don't really have a historical overview of my work at all. I'm not an art historian. I don't see that there's this period and that period"

Howard Hodgkin, a prominent British painter renowned for his abstract and emotive structures, shared a candid insight into his individual relationship with his body of work in the quote: "I do not truly have a historic introduction of my work at all. I'm not an art historian. I don't see that there's this period which duration."

This declaration reveals numerous profound elements of Hodgkin's method to art. Firstly, by proclaiming an absence of historic introduction, Hodgkin underlines a deeply individual and subjective engagement with his imaginative procedure, recommending that he does not see his art work through a scholastic or linear lens that classifies and contextualizes it within stiff historical frameworks. This point of view speaks to his concentrate on the immediacy and psychological resonance of his work instead of its location within an art historic story.

Moreover, Hodgkin's dismissal of the concept of unique periods in his work recommends a fluidity and continuity in his artistic development. Instead of seeing his career as segmented into discrete phases, he views it as an ongoing journey, driven by internal motivations and reactions to the world around him, rather than external recognition or classification. This technique highlights a personal authenticity, where each piece stands as its own entity, an expression of the moment it was developed, rather than as part of a bigger, predefined trajectory.

Hodgkin's self-characterization as not being an art historian highlights a conscious resistance to over-intellectualizing his art. He focuses on the belief and experience encapsulated in his paintings over their analytical dissection by art historical requirements. This lines up with Hodgkin's recognized focus on the emotional power of color and form, encouraging audiences to connect with his work on an instinctual level.

In summary, Hodgkin's quote encapsulates his desire to remain authentic and reflective in his artistry, focusing on the immediacy of expression instead of complying with external historicization. This shows a broader anti-establishment ethos, where art is an exploration of personal and emotional truth instead of a chronological artifact.