Food, one assumes, provides nourishment; but Americans eat it fully aware that small amounts of poison have been added to improve its appearance and delay its putrefaction.
John CageRead
The white paintings came first; my silent piece came later.
Interpretation
John Cage emphasizes the importance of silence and the creative process in art.
In this quote, John Cage reflects on the journey of his artistic expression, indicating that his initial works, represented by the 'white paintings', laid the foundation for more profound experiences and ideas that followed, namely his famous composition '4'33''. This suggests that the act of creation is layered and can evolve from simplicity to complexity, highlighting the significance of silence and contemplation in understanding art.
In practice
This quote could be used as an introduction to a discussion on the evolution of modern art in a gallery tour.
Food, one assumes, provides nourishment; but Americans eat it fully aware that small amounts of poison have been added to improve its appearance and delay its putrefaction.
Which is more musical: a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?
There was a German philosopher who is very well known, his name was Immanuel Kant, and he said there are two things that donβt have to mean anything, one is music and the other is laughter. Donβt have to mean anything that is, in order to give us deep pleasure.
I remember loving sound before I ever took a music lesson. And so we make our lives by what we love.
I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones.
People who aren't artists often feel that artists are inspired. But if you work at your art you don't have time to be inspired.
If, in 2014, we're still making 'white savior movies,' then it's just lazy and unfortunate. We've grown up as a country, and cinema should be able to reflect what's true. And what's true is that black people are the center of their own lives and should tell their own stories from their own perspectives.
I enjoy the speed of fashion. I love doing different things and I think I still have something valid to say in fashion.
I write and sing about whatever I am able to understand and feel. I feel that it is healthier to look out at the world through a window than through a mirror. Otherwise, all you see is yourself and whatever is behind you.
I think of myself as a jungle musician because of my lack of formal training.
There are some experiences in life which should not be demanded twice from any man, and one of them is listening to the Brahms Requiem.
As a young man, even if I was going to see a play or a film by myself, I didn't feel like I was alone. There was something that was unfolding up there that brought me into it. And I recognised that. For those two hours, it made me feel like I belonged to something really good.
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