Comforting Thought: Great art gives homage to the finest examples of humankind

Mysterious Moon and Horse Art by Kristen Eisenbraun

“Artists are the perpetual defenders of living creatures, precisely because those creatures are alive. They truly advocate to love whoever is close by right now, and not those far in the future, which is what debases contemporary humanism, turning it into a catechism of the courthouse. Quite the reverse: a great work of art ends up baffling all the judges. At the same time, through such great works, artists give homage to the finest example of humankind and bow down to the worst criminals. As Oscar Wilde wrote from prison: “There is not a single man among these unfortunate people locked up with me in this miserable place who does not have a symbolic relationship with the secret of life. Yes, and that secret of life coincides with the secret of art.”

‘Create Dangerously: The Power and Responsibility of the Artist’ by Albert Camus.
Book Review: Create Dangerously: The Power and Responsibility of the Artist by Albert Camus

An electrifying and timeless book of ideas about how artists can resist and overcome the forces of fascism written by one of the greats of the 20th Century, Albert Camus who created a massive body of work while actively resisting Nazism during WWII.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Genre: Essays, Non-Fiction, Politics, Art

Publisher: Vintage

Review in one word: Electrifying

“Create Dangerously” is a short book of essays written in the 1950s by Albert Camus. Despite its age, its snappy insights feel immediately applicable to the current state of our world in 2025 and beyond. Camus touches on weighty topics like the role and responsibility of the artist, resisting fascism through artistic expression and rebellion, human freedom, love, beauty and despair and much more.

Published by Content Catnip

Content Catnip is a quirky internet wunderkammer written by an Intergalactic Space Māori named Content Catnip. Join me as I meander through the quirky and curious aspects of history, indigenous spirituality, the natural world, animals, art, storytelling, books, philosophy, travel, Māori culture and loads more.

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