My work is about seeing - seeing things like they haven't been seen before.
Robert MapplethorpeRead
I like to look at pictures, all kinds. And all those things you absorb come out subconsciously one way or another. You'll be taking photographs and suddenly know that you have resources from having looked at a lot of them before. There is no way you can avoid this. But this kind of subconscious influence is good, and it certainly can work for one. In fact, the more pictures you see, the better you are as a photographer.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The more you immerse yourself in visual art, the more it influences and enhances your own creativity and skills.
Robert Mapplethorpe's quote emphasizes the importance of exposure to various forms of visual art as a means of enhancing one's own artistic abilities. He suggests that the images we absorb influence our subconscious and ultimately inform our creative work, indicating that a rich experience with diverse artworks can improve our photography by providing us with a wealth of visual resources to draw upon.
Themes
PhotographyArtInfluenceCreativitySubconscious
In practice
Example use cases
During a photography workshop, I shared a favorite quote from Robert Mapplethorpe to inspire participants to explore diverse art.
More from Robert Mapplethorpe
All quotes →With photography, you zero in; you put a lot of energy into short moments, and then you go on to the next thing.
Robert MapplethorpeRead
I went into photography because it seemed like the perfect vehicle for commenting on the madness of today's existence.
Robert MapplethorpeRead
Similar quotes
I find that kid actors are great reminders of the simplicity of acting. As you get older, you can sometimes complicate things a little more. You can become too aware of, 'Okay, this is the scene emotionally. This is where we need to be. We've got the climax coming up.' You can start to analyze it too much.
Hugh JackmanRead
Acting is an imaginative exercise. It would be odd if you didn't try to identify with the roles you play, but I think I can differentiate between where my imagination is leading me and where I actually am.
John HurtRead
I'm not trying to be sexy. It's just my way of expressing myself when I move around.
Elvis PresleyRead
Fiction becomes a weird way to countenance yourself and to tell the truth instead of being a way to escape yourself or present yourself in a way you figure you will be maximally likable.
David Foster WallaceRead
Cut word lines — Cut music lines — Smash the control images — Smash the control machine — Burn the books — Kill the priests — Kill! Kill! Kill!
William S. BurroughsRead
If you think about the way we experience art, the paradigm is still Western European. If I go to the National Gallery, what am I going to see the most of? I'm not going to see a whole lot of black figures in pictures.
Kerry James MarshallRead