31 Quotes by Ian Hamilton Finlay

If the work is pure then you have to think it could be understood. If it is not understood it doesn’t mean that your work is not accessible. It doesn’t worry me, but, of course, I would be pleased if people liked my work.

No, I don’t make my work in order to challenge or confuse other people’s expectations – I only do what I find natural.

However, I don’t feel the world is looking over my shoulder when I am working – I never think about this at all. What I think about is trying to make my work pure, and if it is pure then it can be accessible. It is quite straight forward really.

What you compose with is neither here nor there, you compose with words, or you compose with stone plants and trees, or you compose with events; the Sheriff’s officer, or whatever.