Accentuated plainness and accentuated vice ought to bring about harmony. Beauty lies in harmony, in style, whether it be the harmony of ugliness or beauty, vice or virtue.
Interpretation
Beauty is found in the balance of contrasting elements, such as good and bad.
This quote by Yevgeny Zamyatin suggests that true beauty comes from harmony, which can exist between opposites. The interplay of plainness and vice, as well as virtue and beauty, creates a harmonious whole, emphasizing that artistic expression involves embracing both sides of the spectrum to reveal a deeper aesthetic appeal.
In practice
In a gallery opening, this quote can be showcased to emphasize the dual nature of art in representing both beauty and flaws.
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