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Lucas Samaras Biography

Artist

Lucas Samaras, born on September 14, 1936, is a renowned contemporary artist. His work encompasses various forms such as painting, sculpture, photography, and installation art, known for its unique visual language and rich imagination.

People Way Art Term Leader Art Is Ideals Alternatives Clay Dealing With People Using People

Author:Lucas Samaras

“I was my own Peeping Tom. Because of the absence of people I could do anything, and if it wasn't good I could destroy it without damaging myself in the presence of others. In that sense I was my own clay. I formulated myself, I mated with myself, and I gave birth to myself. And my real self was the product - the polaroids.”

People Ifs Real Self My Own Products Birth Absence Toms Clay Real Self Peeping Polaroids

Author:Lucas Samaras

“You don’t have to say that nature is aware of your existence, that God knows you are here. The camera gives you proof that you have lived at least once.”

Knows Giving Joy Suffering Existence Cameras Proof God Knows

Author:Lucas Samaras

“At any rate, when I began photographing myself, I could place myself in poses that had not been investigated by other artists. It was an area other artists hadn't touched. Then, I went on from there. I manipulated my image - distorting it, brutalizing it. People thought I was mad, but I felt I had to tell these things. It gave me a kind of excitement.”

People Kind Artist Felt Areas Mad Rate Excitement Touched

Author:Lucas Samaras

“If an artist does not have an erotic involvement with everything that he sees, he may as well give up. To be a human being may a very messy thing, but to be an artist is something else entirely, because art is religion, art is sex, art is society. Art is everything.”

Ifs Giving Humans Wells May Doe Art Artist Sex Human Beings Giving Up Art Is Erotic Involvement Messy

Author:Lucas Samaras

“The selfie era offers a big opening: everybody can do it; nowadays even five-year-olds know how to take a nude self-portrait.”

Knows Years Self Bigs Can Do Know How Five Offers Opening Eras Five Years Portraits Five Year Olds Self Portrait Self Portrait Photography

Author:Lucas Samaras

“...I started photographing myself, and found that I could see portions of myself that I had never seen before. Since I face just my face in the mirror, I know pretty much what it's like. When I see a side-view I'm not used to it, and find it peculiar... So, photographing myself and discovering unknown territories of my surface self causes an interesting psychological confrontation.”

Knows Self Faces Used Found Causes Sides Interesting Views Mirrors Surface Psychological Territory Peculiar Portions Discovering Confrontation

Author:Lucas Samaras

“I am my own investigation territory.”

My Own Territory Investigation

Author:Lucas Samaras

“I'm looking back at what I did and how it works. In a sense I'm waiting to see how people will respond. I'm waiting to see how you respond, without asking me to tell you what I think about it, because it is your job to give me an idea of how you go about thinking about this work. And if it's too absurd then, you know, I'll kick you out!”

People Thinking Giving Waiting Absurd Looking Back

Author:Lucas Samaras

“The Greek word for box is kouti which also means stupid.”

Mean Stupid Boxes Greek

Book:Lucas Samaras

Source: Lucas Samaras

About the Author

Born: September 14, 1936
Known for: Artist
Quotes: 10

Books & Sources

Lucas SamarasRelated source material

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