--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that all art is socially…" description: "\"I think that all art is socially conscious. There is no alternative. Whatever we produce contains a political and social statement. There's no way to a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa7/alfredo-jaar-30663_art_i-think-that-all-art-is-socially-conscio_1048161.jpg" --- # I think that all art is socially conscious. There is no… ![“I think that all art is socially conscious. There is no alternative. Whatever we produce contains a political and social statement. There's no way to avoid that, unless it is pure decoration. But even pure decoration has also some value because you can read pure decoration as a way to ignore the…” quote by Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa7/alfredo-jaar-30663_art_i-think-that-all-art-is-socially-conscio_1048161.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa7/alfredo-jaar-30663_art_i-think-that-all-art-is-socially-conscio_1048161.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa7/alfredo-jaar-30663_art_i-think-that-all-art-is-socially-conscio_1048161.jpg) > “I think that all art is socially conscious. There is no alternative. Whatever we produce contains a political and social statement. There's no way to avoid that, unless it is pure decoration. But even pure decoration has also some value because you can read pure decoration as a way to ignore the reality that is around us, saying, "Well, I'm not interested. I just like to paint this wall blue.” [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art inevitably carries social and political meaning; only pure decoration can claim neutrality, yet even that can be a denial of reality. **In simple terms:** Art is always political unless it pretends to be decorative. Key Takeaway Recognize the messages in all creative work. Themes art politics social consciousness culture Mood reflective critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - gallery exhibitions - public murals - advertising - design projects Key Concepts aesthetics ideology critical theory Questions to Reflect On - How does decorative art influence public awareness? - Can art ever be truly apolitical? A Different Perspective Pure decoration may still reinforce disengagement from societal issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-is/) [Art Socially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-socially-2491039/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Decoration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decoration/) [Not interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-interested/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Pure Decoration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure-decoration-2491043/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Social Statement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-statement-2491041/) [Socially Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socially-conscious-241836/) [Think Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-art/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [“Despite what he calls the “paradoxical ascent of social practice art in a socially bankrupt world,” and “an inversion of artistic taste” from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-sholette/despite-what-he-calls-the-paradoxical-ascent-of-social-practice-art/) [Gregory Sholette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-sholette/) > [Marriage is also a social statement, preeminently describing and defining a person's relationship and place in society. Marital status, along with what we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-wolfson/marriage-is-also-a-social-statement-preeminently-describing-and/) [Evan Wolfson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-wolfson/) > [I think art is beautiful. It's decoration and adornment. But art is also a really important vessel for social change, and social change begins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-wise/i-think-art-is-beautiful-it-s-decoration-and-adornment-but-art-is/) [Chloe Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-wise/) > [I'm from a very politically and socially conscious family. My mother always made a point of making us look at what was going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/i-m-from-a-very-politically-and-socially-conscious-family-my-mother/) [Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/) > [No matter what road I take, I can never get too far away from the conscious lyric and the socially conscious content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheem-devaughn/no-matter-what-road-i-take-i-can-never-get-too-far-away-from-the/) [Raheem DeVaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheem-devaughn/) > [“No matter how hard you work at your craft and no matter how successful you become, people just have to find something negative to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/no-matter-how-hard-you-work-at-your-craft-and-no-matter-how/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [Socially conscious brands engender more loyalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lubetzky/socially-conscious-brands-engender-more-loyalty/) [Daniel Lubetzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lubetzky/) > [As a socially conscious person, I have my views on matters like gender inequality and progressive movements. But being a mother, children's issues have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navya-nair/as-a-socially-conscious-person-i-have-my-views-on-matters-like-gender/) [Navya Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navya-nair/) > [I have a production company where we create socially conscious media and content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-baldoni/i-have-a-production-company-where-we-create-socially-conscious-media/) [Justin Baldoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-baldoni/) > [I think the younger generation, the people poised to dominate the workforce, are more socially conscious. They are more demanding in terms of environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-jahn/i-think-the-younger-generation-the-people-poised-to-dominate-the/) [Helmut Jahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-jahn/) > [There have been many socially conscious concept albums. I wanted to make a 'social consciousness' concept album disguised as a country record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/there-have-been-many-socially-conscious-concept-albums-i-wanted-to/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [It's great to be in a film that's able to have people really want to become socially conscious, to walk out of the theatre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/it-s-great-to-be-in-a-film-that-s-able-to-have-people-really-want-to/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [The challenge I set before anyone who condemns private-sector business is this: If you are a socially conscious person, why don't you run your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/the-challenge-i-set-before-anyone-who-condemns-private-sector/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [“Self-esteem. That's one of those catch-all terms that means nothing at all, but the mere mention of it leaves all the socially conscious liberal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-castillo-price/self-esteem-that-s-one-of-those-catch-all-terms-that-means-nothing-at/) [Jordan Castillo Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-castillo-price/) > [I never liked socially conscious rap. I like rap that's physical, that's about a beat and bass and repetition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmony-korine/i-never-liked-socially-conscious-rap-i-like-rap-that-s-physical-that/) [Harmony Korine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harmony-korine/) ## More by Alfredo Jaar > [ I follow many tragedies around the world. At one point I \[will\] feel like I've accumulated an enormous amount of information, a critical mass… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/i-follow-many-tragedies-around-the-world-at-one-point-i-will-feel/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [America is our continent. You feel in the daily language that Americans use the word "America" to erase the rest of the continent from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/america-is-our-continent-you-feel-in-the-daily-language-that/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [Certainly when you do a work for a public space, you lose control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/certainly-when-you-do-a-work-for-a-public-space-you-lose-control/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [I remember her eyes. The eyes of Gutete Emerita.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/i-remember-her-eyes-the-eyes-of-gutete-emerita/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [How many languages do we really speak?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/how-many-languages-do-we-really-speak/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [Nowadays I see my work being used, without my permission, as if it was an attack against the Trump regime. People want to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/nowadays-i-see-my-work-being-used-without-my-permission-as-if-it-was/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [I think I'm a journalist in one sense - I want to communicate to people about certain things that are happening around us, around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/i-think-i-m-a-journalist-in-one-sense-i-want-to-communicate-to-people/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [We are the result of the stimulus we receive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/we-are-the-result-of-the-stimulus-we-receive/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [For me, what was important was to record everything I saw around me, and to do this as methodically as possible. In these circumstances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/for-me-what-was-important-was-to-record-everything-i-saw-around-me/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [As we all know, the objective and mission of the photojournalist is to show us the reality of the world. And in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/as-we-all-know-the-objective-and-mission-of-the-photojournalist-is-to/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [Reality cannot be photographed or represented. We can only create a new reality. And my dilemma is how to make art out of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/reality-cannot-be-photographed-or-represented-we-can-only-create-a/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [Journalistic information and presentation actually discourage action... we think we know, and because we think we know, we think we care. But it stops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/journalistic-information-and-presentation-actually-discourage-action/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [My work is always based on reality. I'm not an artist that creates works of fiction. I'm not an artist who is in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/my-work-is-always-based-on-reality-i-m-not-an-artist-that-creates/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [Images have an advanced religion; they bury history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/images-have-an-advanced-religion-they-bury-history/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) > [I am suspicious and disillusioned about the uses and misuses of photography in the art world, the press, and the world of entertainment. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfredo-jaar/i-am-suspicious-and-disillusioned-about-the-uses-and-misuses-of/) [Alfredo Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) [Explore all 17 Alfredo Jaar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfredo-jaar/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "I think that all art is socially conscious. 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