I don’t believe in an art that is not born out of man’s need to open his heart.
Edvard MunchRead
Sickness, insanity and death were the angels that surrounded my cradle and they have followed me throughout my life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that themes of illness and mortality have been constant companions in the speaker's life.
Edvard Munch's quote reflects a deep understanding of the human condition, indicating that sickness, madness, and death are inevitable aspects of life that one cannot escape. It highlights the idea that these heavy themes have not only been present from birth but have influenced the speaker's perspective and art, shaping a worldview where darkness and struggle are integral to existence.
Themes
SicknessLifeMortalityStruggleExistence
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about mental health, one might use this quote to illustrate the pervasive nature of these themes in human experience.
More from Edvard Munch
All quotes →Through my art I have tried to explain my life and its meaning. I have also intended to help others to clarify their lives.
Edvard MunchRead
My fear of life is necessary to me, as is my illness. Without anxiety and illness, I am a ship without a rudder. My art is grounded in reflections over being different from others. My sufferings are part of my self and my art. They are indistinguishable from me, and their destruction would destroy my art. I want to keep those sufferings
Edvard MunchRead
At different moments you see with different eyes. You see differently in the morning than you do in the evening. In addition, how you see is also dependent on your emotional state. Because of this, a motif can be seen in many different ways, and this is what makes art interesting.
Edvard MunchRead
From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity.
Edvard MunchRead
I felt as if there were invisible threads connecting us - I felt the invisible strands of her hair still winding around me - and thus as she disappeared completely beyond the sea - I still felt it, felt the pain where my heart was bleeding - because the threads could not be severed.
Edvard MunchRead
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