Tradition Innovation and Sincerity

I ran across this quote from Willem de Kooning I thought was particularly relevant today. It contrasts the prevalent attitude in the visual arts that is so often about tearing down what came before or dismissive of the possibility for originality in the context of artistic tradition. It also contrasts the self-conscious constructing of a distinctive gimmick or ploy toward marketability, self promotion or perhaps the right word is branding that is so highly valued in today's art world.


"Of all movements, I like cubism most. It had that wonderful unsure atmosphere of reflection- a poetic frame where something could be possible, where an artist could practice his intuition. It didn't want to get rid of what came before. Instead it added something to it. The parts that I can appreciate in other movements came out of cubism. Cubism became a movement, it didn't set out to be one."