“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 endsContinue reading “Comforting Thought: Artists Pay Homage to the Finest Examples of Humankind”
Tag Archives: Albert Camus
Comforting Thought: Art Makes Humanity Richer and More Admirable
“Every great work of art makes humanity richer and more admirable, and that is its only secret. And even thousands of concentration camps and prison cells cannot obliterate this deeply moving testimony to dignity. That is why it is not true that we could, even temporarily, set culture aside in order to prepare a newContinue reading “Comforting Thought: Art Makes Humanity Richer and More Admirable”
Comforting Thought: Art Unites Wherever Tyranny Divides
“Art, because of the inherent freedom that is its very essence, as I have tried to explain, unites, wherever tyranny divides. So how could it be surprising that art is the chosen enemy of every kind of oppression? How could it be surprising that artists and intellectuals are the primary victims of modern tyrannies, whetherContinue reading “Comforting Thought: Art Unites Wherever Tyranny Divides”
Comforting Thought: Take Up Your Oars
“We are adrift on the open seas. Artists, like everyone else, must take up their oars, without dying, if possible—that is to say, by continuing to live and create.” Create Dangerously: The Power and Responsibility of the Artist, Albert Camus
Albert Camus: A society based on symbols is an artificial society
“Consumer society can be defined as a society in which objects disappear and are replaced by symbols. When the ruling class no longer measures its wealth in acres of land or gold bars, but rather by how many digits ideally correspond to a certain number of financial transactions, then that society immediately links itself toContinue reading “Albert Camus: A society based on symbols is an artificial society”
Comforting Thought: Great art gives homage to the finest examples of humankind
“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 endsContinue reading “Comforting Thought: Great art gives homage to the finest examples of humankind”
Albert Camus: Art’s Corruption Under Brutality
“Brutality is never temporary. It does not respect the boundaries set for it, and so it is natural that brutality will spread, first corrupting art, then life. Then, out of the misfortunes and bloodshed of humankind, we see born insignificant literature, frivolous newspapers, photographed portraits, and youth-club plays in which hatred replaces religion. Art thenContinue reading “Albert Camus: Art’s Corruption Under Brutality”
Comforting Thought: The most rebellious art will be the most enduring
We must know that we cannot hide away from communal misery, and that our sole justification, if one exists, is to speak out, as best we can, for those who cannot. And we must do this for everyone who is suffering at this very moment, despite the past or future greatness of the states orContinue reading “Comforting Thought: The most rebellious art will be the most enduring”
Comforting Thought: The most rebellious art will be the most enduring
“Gide said something that I have always agreed with, even though it might be misunderstood: “Art lives from constraint and dies from freedom.” That is true, but we must not draw the conclusion that art should be controlled. Art only lives through the constraints it places upon itself: it dies from any others. On theContinue reading “Comforting Thought: The most rebellious art will be the most enduring”
Comforting Thought: We Resemble Each Other Through What We See Together
“Contrary to current prejudicial ideas, the people who do not have the right to stand alone are precisely the artists. Art cannot be a monologue. When even isolated and unknown artists appeal to posterity, they are doing nothing more than reaffirming the very meaning of their work. Because they consider that a dialogue with deafContinue reading “Comforting Thought: We Resemble Each Other Through What We See Together”
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