Materiality Quotes

• I was worried in the '80s that the best abstract painting had become obsessed with materiality, and painterly gestures and materiality were up against the wall.

  Frank Stella

  Wall, Artist, Abstract Painting

  "With Frank Stella, what you see is what you see. But when the modern master speaks, what you hear may raise your eyebrows."by Kenneth Baker, www.sfgate.com. June 17, 2004.

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• The more materiality there is, the less humanity there is

  Philippe Starck

  Humanity

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• Possibly the words materialism and spirituality express two sides of one and the same fact.

  Honore de Balzac

  Two Sides, Facts, Spirituality

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• Relations of production are first reproduced by the materiality of the processes of production and circulation. But it should not be forgotten that ideological relations are immediately present in these same processes.

  Louis Althusser

  Firsts, Forgotten, Process

  Louis Althusser (2001). “Lenin and Philosophy and Other Essays”, p.100, NYU Press

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• We have a largely materialistic lifestyle characterized by a materialistic culture. However, this only provides us with temporary, sensory satisfaction, whereas long-term satisfaction is based not on the senses but on the mind. That’s where real tranquility is to be found. And peace of mind turns out to be a significant factor in our physical health too.

  Dalai Lama

  Real, Long, Mind

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• The notion of a thing, materiality, was something that I think was something very in peoples' minds when they were dealing with earth and metal and different kinds of metals and the interaction of different sorts of material.

  Robert Barry

  Thinking, Mind, Different

  Source: www.aaa.si.edu

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• ...more than other senses, the eye objectifies and masters. it sets at a distance, maintains the distance. in our culture, the predominance of the look over smell, taste, touch, hearing, has brought about an improverishment of bodily relations...the moment domin ates the look dominates, the body loses its materiality” -luce irigaray

  Luce Irigaray

  Distance, Eye, Smell

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• ...the materialism of modern civilization is paradoxically founded on a hatred of materiality, a goal-oriented desire to obliterate all natural limits through technology, imposing an abstract grid over nature.

  Alan Watts

  Technology, Civilization, Goal

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• The disembodied soul does not part with Nature when it leaves the earth; life but, rather, it rises to a plane of Nature which is fuller, richer and sweeter in every way than the best of which the earth dwelling soul dreams. The dross of materiality burned away by the astral vibrations, the soul blossoms and bears spiritual fruit in the new life.

  William Walker Atkinson

  Dream, Spiritual, Earth Life

  Yogi Ramacharaka, William Walker Atkinson “The Spiritual Writings”, Jazzybee Verlag

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• The symbols of the self arise in the depths of the body, and they express its materiality every bit as much as the perceiving consciousness. The symbol is thus a living body

  Carl Jung

  Self, Psychology, Depth

  Carl Gustav Jung, Karl Kerényi (2002). “Science of Mythology: Essays on the Myth of the Divine Child and the Mysteries of Eleusis”, p.109, Psychology Press

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• God's Providence controls the universe. It is present everywhere. Providence is the sovereign Logos of God, imprinting form on the unformed materiality of the world, making and fashioning all things. Matter could not have acquired an articulated structure were it not for the directing power of the Logos Who is the Image, Intellect, Wisdom, and Providence of God.

  Anthony the Great

  Christian, World, Matter

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• I have, and do sometimes, work with other media. But there is something about the physical activity and the directness of painting that I find fascinating. I am very attracted to the materiality of paintings and the visual phenomena of hue and value.

  Stephen Beal

  Media, Hue, Painting

  Interview with Jason-Louise Graham, jasonlouise-graham.squarespace.com. November 19, 2010.

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• The things that matter most in life....Aren't things.

  Marie Avgeropoulos

  Matter, Things That Matter

  Twitter post from Apr 24, 2013

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• Giving material goods is one form of generosity, but one can extend an attitude of generosity into all one's behavior. Being kind, attentive, and honest in dealing with others, offering praise where it is due, giving comfort and advice where they are needed, and simply sharing one's time with someone - all these are forms of generosity, and they do not require any particular level of material wealth.

  Dalai Lama

  Attitude, Offering, Generosity

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• I begin by imagining an artwork verbally. I try to describe in writing what the project is, what it is trying to do. I need to understand the artwork without giving it a specific materiality or solid form.

  Maya Lin

  Writing, Giving, Trying

  Maya Lin (2016). “Boundaries”, p.25, Simon and Schuster

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• I have always been interested in fashion as an informing design discipline: proportion structure, detail, materiality, texture, color and quality. With a heightened interest in, and an awareness of the built environment, the 'store' has become a critical, perceptual and psychological component of merchandising as well as imaging. Architecture and fashion are partners.

  Charles Gwathmey

  Fashion, Color, Discipline

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• Sex cannot be understood because nature cannot be understood. Science is a method of logical analysis of nature's operations. It has lessened human anxiety about the cosmos by demonstrating the materiality of nature's forces, and their frequent predictability. But science is always playing catch-up ball. Nature breaks its own rules whenever it wants. Science cannot avert a single thunderbolt. Western science is a product of the Apollonian mind: its hope is that by naming and classification, by the cold light of intellect, archaic night can be pushed back and defeated.

  Camille

  Sex, Night, Light

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• Material objects give rise to physical happiness, while spiritual development gives rise to mental happiness. Since we experience both physical and mental happiness, we need both material and spiritual development. This is why, for our own good and that of society we need to balance material progress with inner development.

  Dalai Lama

  Happiness, Being Happy, Spiritual

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• Science is a method of logical analysis of nature's operations. It has lessened human anxiety about the cosmos by demonstrating the materiality of nature's forces, and their frequent predictability.

  Camille Paglia

  Nature, Science, Anxiety

  Camille Paglia (2018). “Free Women, Free Men: Sex, Gender, Feminism”, p.31, Canongate Books

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• In some conditions, the architecture of textile is more relevant than in other conditions or the opacity of the material form. Pattern in the world of scarce materiality and a hybridity becomes a way of creating a new authenticity. Sometimes there is a certain kind of nobility of a group of materials literally of the earth, which had a certain nobility of presence, but is very different from the materials we have now.

  David Adjaye

  Creating, Textiles, World

  Source: www.interviewmagazine.com

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• I don't know if that's philosophy or if that's something else, but to me it [digital filming] has an emotional feeling , that this materiality, the loss of the materiality.

  Keanu Reeves

  Philosophy, Loss, Emotional

  Source: www.pbs.org

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• If we human beings rely only on material development, we can’t be sure of a positive outcome. Employing technology motivated by anger and hatred is likely to be destructive. It will only be beneficial if we seek the welfare of all beings. Human beings are the only species with the potential to destroy the world. Because of the risks of unrestrained desire and greed we need to cultivate contentment and simplicity.

  Dalai Lama

  Technology, Hatred, Greed

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• What quantum physics teaches us is that everything we thought was physical is not physical.

  Bruce H. Lipton

  Teaching, Science, Tangible

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• Contrary to what they tell you... You are not a limited material being.

  Amit Goswami

  Spiritual, Materialism, Quantum Physics

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• We all want to live a happy life and have a right to do so, whether through work or spiritual practice. I'm subject to destructive emotions like anger and jealousy the same as you, but we all have potential for good too. However, our existing education system is oriented towards material development; neglecting inner values. Consequently we lack a clear awareness of the inner values that are the basis of a happy life.

  Dalai Lama

  Spiritual, Happy Life, Practice

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