The strange power of art is sometimes it can show that what people have in common is more urgent than what differentiates them. It seems to me it's something that theatre can do, but it's rare; it's very rare.
John BergerRead
A drawing is essentially a private work, related only to the artist's own needs; a 'finished' statue or canvas is essentially a public, presented work - related far more directly to the demands of communication.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A drawing is a personal expression of the artist, while a completed artwork is meant for public engagement and communication.
In this quote, John Berger emphasizes the distinction between the intimate, personal nature of drawing and the more public, communicative aspect of finished artworks like sculptures or paintings. He suggests that while sketches and drawings serve the private needs of the artist, completed pieces are intended to connect with an audience, fulfilling a role in broader artistic dialogue and expression.
Themes
ArtDrawingCommunicationArtistExpression
In practice
Example use cases
During an art class discussing the importance of personal expression in drawing.
More from John Berger
All quotes →Unlike any other visual image, a photograph is not a rendering, an imitation or an interpretation of its subject, but actually a trace of it. No painting or drawing, however naturalist, belongs to its subject in the way that a photograph does.
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We never look at just one thing; we are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves.
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The camera relieves us of the burden of memory. It surveys us like God, and it surveys for us. Yet no other god has been so cynical, for the camera records in order to forget.
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Propaganda requires a permanent network of communication so that it can systematically stifle reflection with emotive or utopian slogans. Its pace is usually fast.
John BergerRead
Being a unique superpower undermines the military intelligence of strategy. To think strategically, one has to imagine oneself in the enemy's place. If one cannot do this, it is impossible to foresee, to take by surprise, to outflank. Misinterpreting an enemy can lead to defeat. This is how empires fall.
John BergerRead
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