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A work of art is one through which the consciousness of the artist is able to give its emotions to anyone who is prepared to receive them. There is no such thing as bad art.
Muriel Rukeyser
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Art is a medium for emotional expression and connection between the artist and the audience.

In this quote, Muriel Rukeyser suggests that the essence of art lies in its ability to convey the artist's emotions and thoughts to an audience willing to engage with it. She emphasizes that subjective interpretations make all forms of art valid, asserting that there are no absolute standards for what constitutes 'bad' art, as every piece can resonate differently with each viewer based on their own experiences and openness.

Themes

ArtEmotionExpressionArtistAudience

In practice

Example use cases

During a gallery talk, you could share this quote to underscore the emotional connection between artists and viewers.

More from Muriel Rukeyser

The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.
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A work of art is one through which the consciousness of the artist is able to give its emotions to anyone who is prepared to receive them.
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In our period, they say there is free speech. They say there is no penalty for poets, There is no penalty for writing poems. They say this. This is the penalty.
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Nourish beginnings, let us nourish beginnings. Not all things are blest, but the seeds of all things are blest. The blessing is in the seed.
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The town of Gauley Bridge stands as a pattern for all those places where people are linked even in the middle of their suffering, where people fight against an evil condition so that other people need not go through the same fight.
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Always our wars have been our confessions of weakness
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