The body says what words cannot.
Martha GrahamRead
No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a strange, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Artists are never fully satisfied with their work; instead, they find motivation in a continuous desire for improvement.
Martha Graham highlights the perpetual state of dissatisfaction that artists experience, suggesting that such unrest is not only a source of their creativity but also a vital aspect of what makes them feel alive. This 'divine dissatisfaction' propels artists forward, driving them to strive for greatness and explore new expressions in their art.
Themes
ArtistDissatisfactionCreativityMotivationArtistic Process
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech to aspiring artists at a local gallery opening.
More from Martha Graham
All quotes →Nobody cares if you can't dance well.
Martha GrahamRead
Movement never lies. It is a barometer telling the state of the soul's weather to all who can read it.
Martha GrahamRead
What people in the world think of you is really none of your business.
Martha GrahamRead
The body is your instrument in dance, but your art is outside that creature, the body.
Martha GrahamRead
There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.
Martha GrahamRead
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