When art is made new, we are made new with it. We have a…
““When art is made new, we are made new with it. We have a sense of solidarity with our own time, and of psychic energies shared and redoubled, which is just about the most satisfying thing that life has to offer. 'If that is possible,' we say to ourselves, 'then everything is possible'; a new phase in the history of human awareness has been opened up, just as it opened up when people first read Dante, or first heard Bach's 48 preludes and fugues, or first learned from Hamlet and King Lear(/I> that the complexities and contradictions of human nature could be spelled out on the stage. This being so, it is a great exasperation to come face to face with new art and not make anything of it. Stared down by something that we don't like, don't understand and can't believe in, we feel personally affronted, as if our identity as reasonably alert and responsive human beings had been called into question. We ought to be having a good time, and we aren't. More than that, an important part of life is being withheld from us; for if any one thing is certain in this world it is that art is there to help us live, and for no other reason. ””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
New art reshapes our identity and expands collective consciousness, offering profound satisfaction and possibility.
In simple terms: Art changes us and opens new horizons.
Key Takeaway
Embrace new art to grow personally.
Themes
art
identity
consciousness
transformation
Mood
reflective
inspired
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- museum visits
- first exposure to avant‑garde
- reading classic literature
- listening to groundbreaking music
Key Concepts
aesthetic experience
psychic solidarity
cultural evolution
Questions to Reflect On
- How does new art challenge your self‑view?
- What prevents you from engaging with unfamiliar works?
A Different Perspective
Some may reject unfamiliar art, missing its benefits.