--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We all name ourselves. We call ourselves…" description: "\"We all name ourselves. We call ourselves artists. Nobody asks us. Nobody says you are or you aren't.\" — Ad Reinhardt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ad-reinhardt-22386_art_we-all-name-ourselves-we-call-ourselves_349649.png" --- # We all name ourselves. We call ourselves artists. Nobody… ![“We all name ourselves. We call ourselves artists. Nobody asks us. Nobody says you are or you aren't.” quote by Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ad-reinhardt-22386_art_we-all-name-ourselves-we-call-ourselves_349649.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ad-reinhardt-22386_art_we-all-name-ourselves-we-call-ourselves_349649.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ad-reinhardt-22386_art_we-all-name-ourselves-we-call-ourselves_349649.png) > “We all name ourselves. We call ourselves artists. Nobody asks us. Nobody says you are or you aren't.” [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists self-identify without external validation; identity is self‑assigned, not imposed. **In simple terms:** We name ourselves; others don’t define us. Key Takeaway Define yourself, not others. Themes identity art self‑definition Mood reflective empowering Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative work - career branding - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain self‑definition amid criticism? - What role does community play in artistic identity? A Different Perspective External opinions can still influence self‑perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [As they say, there are two rules in improv: Never say no, and never ask why. When another actor asks 'Why?' or says no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-galecki/as-they-say-there-are-two-rules-in-improv-never-say-no-and-never-ask/) [Johnny Galecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-galecki/) > [“How do you know me?" she says. He looks at her through his narrow eyes. "I was," he says. 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Hollywood has made shit films for decades.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/artist-matthew-barney-has-made-a-film-about-shit-it-is-hardly/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) ## More by Ad Reinhardt > [Only a bad artist thinks he has a good idea. A good artist does not need anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/only-a-bad-artist-thinks-he-has-a-good-idea-a-good-artist-does-not/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [Art is not the spiritual side of business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/art-is-not-the-spiritual-side-of-business/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [There is a black which is old and a black which is fresh. Lustrous black and dull black, black in sunlight and black in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/there-is-a-black-which-is-old-and-a-black-which-is-fresh-lustrous/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [It is not right for painters to think that painting is like prostitution, that 'first you do it for love, then you do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/it-is-not-right-for-painters-to-think-that-painting-is-like/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [My paintings are the last paintings one can make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/my-paintings-are-the-last-paintings-one-can-make/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [I tried to oppose the academic to the marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/i-tried-to-oppose-the-academic-to-the-marketplace/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [The only and one way to say what abstract art or art-as-art is, is to say what it is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/the-only-and-one-way-to-say-what-abstract-art-or-art-as-art-is-is-to/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [As for a picture, if it isn't worth a thousand words, the hell with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/as-for-a-picture-if-it-isn-t-worth-a-thousand-words-the-hell-with-it/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [Painting cannot be the only activity of a mature artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/painting-cannot-be-the-only-activity-of-a-mature-artist/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [If some student came up and wanted to know where to study painting, you'd want to suggest someplace, but there's no place. I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/if-some-student-came-up-and-wanted-to-know-where-to-study-painting/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [An artist who dedicates his life to art, burdens his art with his life, and his life with his art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/an-artist-who-dedicates-his-life-to-art-burdens-his-art-with-his-life/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [I want to emphasize the idea of black as intellectuality and conventionality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/i-want-to-emphasize-the-idea-of-black-as-intellectuality-and/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [Art is too serious to be taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/art-is-too-serious-to-be-taken-seriously/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [The artist should once and forever emancipate himself from the bondage of appearance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/the-artist-should-once-and-forever-emancipate-himself-from-the/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) > [The job at Brooklyn is interesting because Brooklyn reflects what happened to university art departments everywhere. It might be the worst department now, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-reinhardt/the-job-at-brooklyn-is-interesting-because-brooklyn-reflects-what/) [Ad Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) [Explore all 27 Ad Reinhardt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-reinhardt/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We all name ourselves. 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