Working from the human figure is a betrayal of abstraction.
Working from the figure is a betrayal of ‘conception’. (‘Conceptual art’ was such a terrible name for an art movement.)
Working from the figure can only be defended when it can’t be helped, when the artist can’t help themselves.
Working from the figure is working from oneself. When you speak and the figure comes out, there’s no hiding it. It’s like burping yawning crying, too bad if it’s impolite. Let it out!
Let it all hang out!
Working from the figure doesn’t belong to this time, but it belongs everywhere else! It belongs to the past and the future, but not the present.
Working from the figure provides pleasure that overrides these obstacles.