Willem De Kooning
Willem De Kooning: A Life of Unconventional Genius
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Willem de Kooning was born as Wilhelmus Jacobus Johannes Maria de Kooning on April 24, 1904, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He is commonly referred to as Willem or Bill.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: April 24, 1904, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Died: March 19, 1997, New York City, USA
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Nationality: Dutch-American
Profession: Artist (painter), printmaker, and sculptor
Early Life and Background
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Willem de Kooning was born to a family of modest means. His father, Jacobus Johannes Maria de Kooning, was a school teacher, and his mother, Cornelia Johanna de Ruijter, was a homemaker. Willem's early life was marked by an unstable home environment, with his father leaving the family when he was just two years old.
De Kooning found solace in art from a young age. He began drawing at 10 and went on to study at the Rotterdam Academy of Fine Arts. However, his time at the academy was short-lived due to World War I. In 1925, de Kooning moved to Amsterdam to work as an artist, but he soon became disillusioned with the city's artistic scene.
Major Accomplishments
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De Kooning's move to New York City in the 1930s marked a significant turning point in his career. He quickly became part of the city's vibrant art scene, befriending artists like Arshile Gorky and Franz Kline.
Some of de Kooning's most notable accomplishments include:
Abstract Expressionism: De Kooning was a key figure in the development of abstract expressionism, an art movement that emphasized the process of creating as much as the final product.
Series Paintings: His series paintings, such as _Women I_ (1950) and _Women II_ (1952), are iconic examples of his innovative style.
Notable Works or Actions
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Some of de Kooning's most notable works include:
Woman I (1950): A painting that marked a turning point in de Kooning's career, as he began to experiment with abstract forms.
Untitled XXV (1977): A series of 10 paintings created by de Kooning in his later years, which showcased his continued innovation and experimentation.
Impact and Legacy
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De Kooning's impact on modern art cannot be overstated. His innovative style and techniques paved the way for future generations of artists. He is remembered as one of the most important artists of the 20th century.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Willem de Kooning's quotes often reflect his philosophical views on art, creativity, and life:
"When I am painting, something in me goes out." (From an interview with _The Paris Review_ , 1977)
"I don't think of myself as a painter. I'm not interested in the art world." (From an interview with _Artforum_ , 1965)
These quotes offer a glimpse into de Kooning's thoughts on the creative process and his disconnection from the art world. His unconventional genius has left a lasting impact on modern art, ensuring his continued relevance and remembrance today.
Quotes by Willem De Kooning
Willem De Kooning's insights on:
I read somewhere that Rubens said students should not draw from life, but draw from all the great classic casts. Then you really get the measure of them, you really know what to do. And then, put in your own dimples. Isn’t that marvelous!
If you’re an artist, the problem is to make a picture work whether you are happy or not.
Whatever an artist’s personal feelings are, as soon as an artist fills a certain area on the canvas or circumscribes it, he becomes historical. He acts from or upon other artists.
Man’s own form in space – his body – was a private prison; and that it was because of this imprisoning misery – because he was hungry and overworked and went to a horrid place called home late at night in the rain, and his bones ached and his head was heavy.
Yes, I am influenced by everbody. But every time I put my hands in my pockets I find someone else’s fingers there.
I paint the way I do because I can keep on putting more and more things in – like drama, pain, anger, love, a figure, a horse, my ideas of space. It doesn’t matter if it differs from mine, as long as it comes from the painting, which has its own integrity and intensity.
I think I’m painting a picture of two women but it may turn out to be a landscape.
I feel sometimes an American artist must feel, like a baseball player or something – a member of a team writing American history...
If you pick up some paint with your brush and make somebody’s nose with it, this is rather ridiculous when you think of it, theoretically or philosophically. It’s really absurd to make an image, like a human image, with paint, today.