The sun never knew how great it was until it hit the side of a building.
Louis KahnRead
The creation of art is not the fulfillment of a need but the creation of a need. The world never needed Beethoven's Fifth Symphony until he created it. Now we could not live without it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Art creates new needs and desires in society rather than merely fulfilling existing ones.
This quote by Louis Kahn emphasizes the transformative power of art and creativity. It suggests that true artistic contributions, like Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, create an entirely new appreciation and necessity within society, indicating that culture evolves and that the impact of art can shape human experience in profound and fundamental ways.
Themes
ArtCreativityNeedTransformationCulture
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of arts funding, one could quote this to emphasize how art shapes society.
More from Louis Kahn
All quotes →I sense a Threshold: Light to Silence, Silence to Light - an ambiance of inspiration, in which the desire to be, to express, crosses with the possible Light to Silence, Silence to Light crosses in the sanctuary of art.
Louis KahnRead
Greek architecture taught me that the column is where the light is not, and the space between is where the light is. It is a matter of no-light, light, no-light, light. A column and a column brings light between them. To make a column which grows out of the wall and which makes its own rhythm of no-light, light, no-light, light: that is the marvel of the artist.
Louis KahnRead
The room is the beginning of architecture.
Louis KahnRead
Architecture is the reaching out for the truth.
Louis KahnRead
We are born of light. The seasons are felt through light. We only know the world as it is evoked by light.
Louis KahnRead
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