My whole life has been nothing more than a continuous struggle against Reaction and the death of art.
Pablo PicassoRead
What do you think an artist is? ...he is a political being, constantly aware of the heart breaking, passionate, or delightful things that happen in the world, shaping himself completely in their image. Painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Art is deeply intertwined with the human experience and socio-political issues, serving greater purposes than mere decoration.
In this quote, Pablo Picasso emphasizes that an artist is not just a creator of beautiful objects but a politically and socially engaged individual. He suggests that art reflects the emotional and political realities of life, shaping both the artist and society at large. By stating that painting is an 'instrument of war,' he highlights the transformative power of art, which can challenge the status quo and provoke thought, rather than merely serving decorative purposes.
Themes
ArtistWarPoliticsEmotionSocietyTransformation
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during an art exhibition to highlight the role of art in social change.
More from Pablo Picasso
All quotes →Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.
Pablo PicassoRead
In drawing, nothing is better than the first attempt.
Pablo PicassoRead
He can who thinks he can, and he can't who thinks he can't. This is an inexorable, indisputable law.
Pablo PicassoRead
You have to have an idea of what you are going to do, but it should be a vague idea.
Pablo PicassoRead
I paint the way someone bites his fingernails; for me, painting is a bad habit because I don't know nor can I do anything else.
Pablo PicassoRead
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