Art for Duchamp, all the arts, obey the same law: meta-irony is inherent in their very spirit. It is an irony that destroys its own negation and, hence, returns in the affirmative. Octavio Paz affirmativeartdestroy Change image and share on social
Poetry is the experience of liberty. The poet risks himself, chances all on the poem's all with each verse he writes. Octavio Paz chanceexperienceliberty Change image and share on social
The American War of Independence is the expulsion of the intrusive elements, alien to the American essence. If American reality is the reinvention of itself, whatever is found in any way irreducible or unassimilable is not American. Octavio Paz alienamericanelement share on social
Solitude is the profoundest fact of the human condition. Man is the only being who knows he is alone. Octavio Paz conditionfacthuman Change image and share on social
Social criticism begins with grammar and the re-establishing of meanings. Octavio Paz begincriticismestablish Change image and share on social
The characteristic feature of modernity is criticism: what is new is set over and against what is old, and it is this constant contrast that constitutes the continuity of tradition. Octavio Paz characteristicconstantconstitute Change image and share on social
When hypocrisy is a character trait, it also affects one's thinking, because it consists in the negation of all the aspects of reality that one finds disagreeable, irrational or repugnant. Octavio Paz affectaspectcharacter Change image and share on social
What distinguishes modern art from the art of other ages is criticism. Octavio Paz ageartcriticism Change image and share on social
Words are things, but things which mean. We cannot do away with meaning without doing away with signs, that is, with language itself. Moreover, we would have to do away with the universe. All the things man touches are impregnated with meaning. Octavio Paz impregnatelanguageman share on social
Abstract painting seeks to be a pure pictorial language, and thus attempts to escape the essential impurity of all languages: the recourse to signs or forms that have meanings shared by everyone. Octavio Paz abstractattemptescape Change image and share on social
