I wanted to show the history and strength of all kinds of black women. Working women, country women, urban women, great women in the history of the United States.
Elizabeth CatlettRead
I have always wanted my art to service my people - to reflect us, to relate to us, to stimulate us, to make us aware of our potential. We have to create an art for liberation and for life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the purpose of art as a means of empowerment and awareness for a community.
Elizabeth Catlett's quote expresses the aspiration for art to serve as a mirror for society, reflecting the identity and potential of the people it represents. It underlines the idea that art should not only entertain but also inspire and liberate individuals, urging creators to focus on creating works that foster awareness and improvement of the community's condition.
Themes
ArtEmpowermentCommunityLiberationIdentity
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech at an art conference about the role of art in society.
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Everything is a subject. Every subject has a rhythm. To feel it is the raison detre. The photograph is a fixed moment of such a raison detre, which lives on in itself.
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When the bright angel dominates, out comes a great work of art, a Michelangelo David or a Beethoven symphony.
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