"My interest in desperation lies only in that sometimes I find myself having become desperate. Very seldom do I start out that way. I can see of course that, in the abstract, thinking and all activity is rather desperate"

Willem de Kooning's quote checks out the complex relationship in between creativity, thought, and the experience of desperation. The quote suggests that desperation is not a preliminary or desired state of being for him, however rather something that he sometimes finds himself experiencing. This indicates a sense of inevitability or natural development into this emotional state, instead of a mindful option or beginning point in his imaginative or intellectual ventures.

De Kooning acknowledges that while he hardly ever begins his procedures in desperation, he sometimes ends up there, indicating that desperation is a by-product or repercussion of much deeper engagement with his work. This might be reflective of the artist's battle with the obstacles and pressures of creative expression, where the mission for creativity and meaning often results in aggravation and a sense of urgency.

Additionally, de Kooning's referral to desperation in "the abstract" recommends that he sees this state not just as an individual experience but as an essential aspect of human thought and activity. He implies that desperation may be an inherent condition of the intellectual pursuit itself, maybe due to our relentless mission for understanding and significance in a complex and frequently incomprehensible world. This abstract view provides a wider perspective, proposing that all forms of believing and doing-- by their very nature-- carry an element of desperation because they come from an innate human drive to resolve contradictions, fill voids in understanding, and attain expression or achievement.

In this context, de Kooning's declaration can also be read as a philosophical reflection on the imaginative process. The artist recommends that struggle and pain are not simply inescapable but important, driving forces in the pursuit of creative, intellectual, and existential fulfillment. By embracing this desperation, one may access deeper levels of imagination and understanding, turning what is often viewed as a negative state into an effective engine for creativity and insight.