Jack Levine, Visiting Artist Lecture 1958

Jack Levine gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about his work and life experiences as an artist, stating the many artists who have influenced his thinking and trajectory along the way. Levine reflects on his painting practice and engages in an open conversation with the participants as well. Levine tells the participants how he believes that abstract structure is the way ahead, because of the way it is based on a peculiar kind of publicity and need for self-expression. Levine urges the participants to be assertive and find strength as they go forward in their careers, and tells them they should never accept a premise in an artwork that they don’t agree with, but should fight against it. This will also allow them to develop their own trajectory and accept a certain direction in their work as artists. Levine ends his lecture by telling the participants that the function of art is to show people and the world something they have never seen before through the mediums in which they choose to engage with.