Miskatonic University PressFrom a recent interview with Frank Stella on the Modern Art Notes Podcast, after Stella has said previous abstract painters had to work up to abstraction but he simply began with it and never had a representational period.
Interviewer: So when you were working in the studio, in the fifties and sixties, did you ever think about representation? I mean, I understand what you were saying in terms of that previous generation of artists having to work through it, but for you, was that even a thing that you considered?
Stella: No, I mean, it’s ludicrous, why would I—you know, the only time it ever came up is when you were meeting young ladies or something like that, and most, you know, nine out of ten of them really wanted to pose for you. But you know, it would have been a waste of time with me.
Interviewer: So you never did that?
Stella: No, I never got anyone to visit my garret—on that pretext.