William Zorach, Guest Lecture 1964

William Zorach gives a lecture talking about his sculptural practice and the importance sculpture holds for him as a way to expand form. For Zorach, being aware of the limitations of his own knowledge has always been a guiding force in his practice, forcing him to go further beyond these limitations and develop a spiritual relationship with his art. Building this spiritual relationship allows Zorach to go deeper into his subconscious and reveals what is truly resonant and powerful in art by studying the earliest arts in order to learn how to make art in the current moment. Another form of spiritual relationship building that Zorach has cultivated with his art practice is going back to nature, due to nature’s ability to be infinite in its variety. Zorach also speaks intimately with the participants, explaining to them the way art functions in his life. For Zorach, there are two types of art that he sees; the art of the temple and sanctuary, and the art of the circus and theater. Zorach uses this binary to comment on the current state of contemporary art, saying how it has become more about show business, publicity, playing up to crowds, and promotion. Zorach is critical of this kind of art world because it functions not on real dedicated sincerity and integrity of eternal principles but instead is based upon attracting and making the public feel inferior. Zorach continues speaking intimately to the participants, warning them that if they don’t have any knowledge of what is truly quality in art, then it will be easy to consistently destroy the very essence and good that they will create. Zorach says that one of the best ways to build this knowledge is to learn how to select and edit their work; which will also help them realize that true quality in art is a matter of feeling. Another way for the participants to build more knowledge of their art is to never work on someone else’s copyright or patent, but to always find their own. Zorach ends his lecture by encouraging the participants to always cultivate a love for art, keep developing their skill sets, and to keep believing in themselves. If they believe in themselves and find others who believe in them, it will nurture a quality of humility, integrity, and love for not only themselves but everyone around them. It is this nurturing that leads to a strength that allows artists to accomplish anything, build healthy relationships, and contribute to making the world better.