"They are imbeciles who call my work abstract. That which they call abstract is the most realistic, because what is real is not the exterior but the idea, the essence of things"
- Constantin Brancusi
About this Quote
Constantin Brancusi was a Romanian carver who is widely thought about to be among the most prominent modernist sculptors of the 20th century. In this quote, he is expressing his disdain for those who identify his work as abstract. He thinks that his work is in fact the most realistic due to the fact that it captures the essence of things, rather than their outside. He is recommending that the real reality of things lies in their ideas and ideas, rather than their physical form. He is suggesting that his work is more realistic because it records the essence of things, instead of simply their physical form. By doing so, he has the ability to produce sculptures that are more meaningful and powerful than those that simply illustrate the physical form. Brancusi's quote is a reminder that art is more than simply a physical representation of something, but rather a representation of its essence and concepts.
"I was married to Margaret Joan Howe in 1940. Although not a scientist herself she has contributed more to my work than anyone else by providing a peaceful and happy home"