It's easier for the former masters to put aside the masks that hid their humanity than for the former slaves to recognise the faces underneath. Or to trust that this is not a new mask these are wearing.
Nadine GordimerRead
Art defies defeat by its very existence, representing the celebration of life, in spite of all attempts to degrade and destroy it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Art endures and thrives despite attempts to undermine its value, symbolizing the resilience of life.
In this quote, Nadine Gordimer highlights the power of art as a form of self-expression and resistance against negativity. Art not only survives but stands as a testament to the vibrancy of life and the human spirit, celebrating the beauty and complexity of existence even in the face of adversity and attempts to undermine its significance.
Themes
ArtExistenceLifeCelebrationResilience
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can inspire artists during creative workshops to encourage them to find strength in their art.
More from Nadine Gordimer
All quotes βThe gap between the committed and the indifferent is a Sahara whose faint trails, followed by the mind's eye only, fade out in sand.
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Perhaps the best definition of progress would be the continuing efforts of men and women to narrow the gap between the convenience of the powers that be and the unwritten charter.
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A truly living human being cannot remain neutral.
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If people would forget about utopia! When rationalism destroyed heaven and decided to set it up here on earth, that most terrible of all goals entered human ambition. It was clear there'd be no end to what people would be made to suffer for it.
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The caged eagle become a metaphor for all forms of isolation, the ultimate in imprisonment. A zoo is prison.
Nadine GordimerRead
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