--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The artist's interest cannot be…" description: "\"The artist's interest cannot be restricted to a single field; he must seek the highest perception of everything, of the whole and its details.\" — Asger..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/asger-jorn-16504_art_the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restrict_2314415.png" --- # The artist's interest cannot be restricted to a single… ![“The artist's interest cannot be restricted to a single field; he must seek the highest perception of everything, of the whole and its details.” quote by Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/asger-jorn-16504_art_the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restrict_2314415.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/asger-jorn-16504_art_the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restrict_2314415.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/asger-jorn-16504_art_the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restrict_2314415.png) > “The artist's interest cannot be restricted to a single field; he must seek the highest perception of everything, of the whole and its details.” [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An artist must engage with both the whole and its parts, seeking deep understanding across all disciplines. **In simple terms:** Artists need broad, detailed perception. Key Takeaway Cultivate holistic curiosity. Themes creativity interdisciplinary artistic vision Mood inspired reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - painting - sculpture - design - research - teaching Key Concepts Modernism holism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance detail with overall vision? - What fields can enrich your artistic practice? A Different Perspective May overlook depth in favor of breadth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) ## Related quotes > [I always seek the highest challenge, the biggest challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artem-lobov/i-always-seek-the-highest-challenge-the-biggest-challenge/) [Artem Lobov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artem-lobov/) > [ “No one will seek the highest \[things\] if he believes that there is no truth, that nothing is his fault, and that government will… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-v-schall/no-one-will-seek-the-highest-things-if-he-believes-that-there-is-no/) [James V. Schall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-v-schall/) > [What I seek is the highest possible batting average.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/what-i-seek-is-the-highest-possible-batting-average/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [To seek the highest good is to live well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/to-seek-the-highest-good-is-to-live-well/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [Superficial knowledge ... is hurtful to those who possess true genius; for it necessarily draws them away from their main object, wastes their industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/superficial-knowledge-is-hurtful-to-those-who-possess-true-genius-for/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The Science Delusion is the belief that science already understands the nature of reality in principle leaving only the details to be filled in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/the-science-delusion-is-the-belief-that-science-already-understands/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [Just because someone thinks they remember something in detail, with confidence and with emotion, does not mean that it actually happened, .. False memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-loftus/just-because-someone-thinks-they-remember-something-in-detail-with/) [Elizabeth Loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-loftus/) > [Our thoughts are either focused on what's eternal, life-changing, and true, or lost in the details of our temporary, selfish, false beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/our-thoughts-are-either-focused-on-what-s-eternal-life-changing-and/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [No matter what. Wherever your mind wanders, it seems to turn up at the same Field of Dreams. It's the vision you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/no-matter-what-wherever-your-mind-wanders-it-seems-to-turn-up-at-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [The first track is the end of a string. At the far end, a being is moving; a mystery, dropping a hint about itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brown-jr/the-first-track-is-the-end-of-a-string-at-the-far-end-a-being-is/) [Tom Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brown-jr/) > [The more I trust you, the less details I need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-i-trust-you-the-less-details-i-need/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The exact details of how you practice value investing will vary investor to investor, but the fundamental principle of scouring the world, looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-tilson/the-exact-details-of-how-you-practice-value-investing-will-vary/) [Whitney Tilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-tilson/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) ## More by Asger Jorn > [The great work of art is the complete banality, and the fault with most banalities is that they are not banal enough. Banality here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/the-great-work-of-art-is-the-complete-banality-and-the-fault-with/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [Being an artist is being an isolated individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/being-an-artist-is-being-an-isolated-individual/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [We are not talking about a new cognition in relation to abstract art, rather a new area of cognition...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/we-are-not-talking-about-a-new-cognition-in-relation-to-abstract-art/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [To break and be able to grow together again in a better way: that is the difficult art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/to-break-and-be-able-to-grow-together-again-in-a-better-way-that-is/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [If the image was sketched onto the canvas and spontaneously drawn, colour would often be restrained and unfree... The most important and the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/if-the-image-was-sketched-onto-the-canvas-and-spontaneously-drawn/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [Everything is in constant flux, from state to state, from good to bad and back again…, only in transmutation, perpetual motion, lies truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/everything-is-in-constant-flux-from-state-to-state-from-good-to-bad/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [Beautiful, ugly, impressive, disgusting, meaningless, grim, contradictory etc … It makes no difference, as long as it is life, vigorously pouring forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/beautiful-ugly-impressive-disgusting-meaningless-grim-contradictory/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [To get anywhere, one must choose one's mistakes. I chose experimental acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/to-get-anywhere-one-must-choose-one-s-mistakes-i-chose-experimental/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [Anything really new is repulsive, because it is abnormal and unreasonable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/anything-really-new-is-repulsive-because-it-is-abnormal-and/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [My work is based on a tradition quite distinct from the Eckersberg tradition, a Nordic line of development that had never been clearly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/my-work-is-based-on-a-tradition-quite-distinct-from-the-eckersberg/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [There can be no question of selecting in any direction, but of penetrating the whole cosmic law of rhythms, forces and material that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/there-can-be-no-question-of-selecting-in-any-direction-but-of/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [We are sparks that must glow as brightly as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/we-are-sparks-that-must-glow-as-brightly-as-possible/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [The reverse process is extremely important to me - that artistic images can inspire to words and different myths, and that in certain cultures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/the-reverse-process-is-extremely-important-to-me-that-artistic-images/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [In the beginning was the image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/in-the-beginning-was-the-image/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [A creative train of thought is set off by: the unexpected, the unknown, the accidental, the disorderly, the absurd, the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/a-creative-train-of-thought-is-set-off-by-the-unexpected-the-unknown/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) [Explore all 39 Asger Jorn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) ## 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": "The artist's interest cannot be restricted to a single field; he must seek the highest perception of everything, of the whole and its details.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Asger Jorn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restricted-to-a-single-field-he-must/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restricted-to-a-single-field-he-must/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/asger-jorn-16504_art_the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restrict_2314415.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/asger-jorn-16504_art_the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restrict_2314415.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/asger-jorn-16504_art_the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restrict_2314415.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The artist's interest cannot be restricted to a single field; he must seek the highest perception of…” — Asger Jorn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Asger Jorn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The artist's interest cannot be restricted...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restricted-to-a-single-field-he-must/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/the-artist-s-interest-cannot-be-restricted-to-a-single-field-he-must/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```