Good art theory must smell of the studio, although its language should differ from the household talk of painters and sculptors.
Interpretation
Art theory should be closely connected to the practical experiences of artists but needs to communicate in a more refined manner.
Rudolf Arnheim emphasizes that while art theory should be rooted in the real-life experiences and nuances of artists working in studios, it requires a level of sophistication in language that sets it apart from casual conversations among those creators. This distinction is vital for the development of a deeper understanding of art that transcends everyday language, focusing instead on a more analytical and structured approach to discussing art.
In practice
During a lecture on art theory, one might reference this quote to illustrate the balance between practical artistry and academic discussion.
The dance, just as the performance of the actor, is kinesthetic art, art of the muscle sense. The awareness of tension and relaxation within his own body, the sense of balance that distinguishes the proud stability of the vertical from the risky adventures of thrusting and falling--these are the tools of the dancer.
Nothing is more humbling than to look with a strong magnifying glass at an insect so tiny that the naked eye sees only the barest speck and to discover that nevertheless it is sculpted and articulated and striped with the same care and imagination.
Once it is recognized that productive thinking in any area of cognition is perceptual thinking, the central function of art in general education will become evident.
Man's striving for order, of which art is but one manifestation, derives from a similar universal tendency throughout the organic world; it is also paralleled by, and perhaps derived from, the striving towards the state of simplest structure in physical systems.
The arts are neglected because they are based on perception, and perception is disdained because it is not assumed to involve thought.
Variety is more than a means of avoiding boredom, since art is more than an entertainment of the senses.
Music is my mistress and she plays second fiddle to no one.
We do not go to the theatre like our ancestors, to escape from the pressure of reality, so much as to confirm our experience of it.
He stared up at the stars: and it seemed to him then that they were dancers, stately and graceful, performing a dance almost infinite in its complexity.
Freaks was a thing I photographed a lot. It was one of the first things I photographed, and it had a terrific kind of excitement for me. I just used to adore them. I still do adore some of them.
Film’s thought of as a director’s medium because the director creates the end product that appears on the screen. It’s that stupid auteur theory again, that the director is the author of the film. But what does the director shoot-the telephone book? Writers became much more important when sound came in, but they’ve had to put up a valiant fight to get the credit they deserve.
There's something peculiar about writing fiction. It requires an interesting balance between seeing the world as a child and having the wisdom of a middle-aged person. The further you get from childhood and the experience of the teenage years, the greater the danger of losing that wellspring.
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