--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When art as an expression starts to…" description: "\"“When art as an expression starts to appear, without prompting, all over the suburbs and villages of this country, what we are saying is: we are confid..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_art_when-art-as-an-expression-starts-to-appe_2452737.jpg" --- # When art as an expression starts to appear, without… ![“When art as an expression starts to appear, without prompting, all over the suburbs and villages of this country, what we are saying is: we are confident enough to create our own living, our own entertainment, our own aesthetic. Such an aesthetic will not be donated to us from the corridors of a…” quote by Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_art_when-art-as-an-expression-starts-to-appe_2452737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_art_when-art-as-an-expression-starts-to-appe_2452737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a50/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_art_when-art-as-an-expression-starts-to-appe_2452737.jpg) > ““When art as an expression starts to appear, without prompting, all over the suburbs and villages of this country, what we are saying is: we are confident enough to create our own living, our own entertainment, our own aesthetic. Such an aesthetic will not be donated to us from the corridors of a university; or from the Ministry of Culture, or by the French Cultural Centre. It will come from the individual creations of a thousand creative people”” [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When people begin creating art locally without external direction, it shows confidence in self‑sustaining culture rather than reliance on institutions. **In simple terms:** Local art shows confidence and independence. Key Takeaway Encourage community‑driven creativity. Themes culture creativity self‑reliance community independence Mood proud optimistic determined Type statement inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - neighbourhood festivals - school art projects - local media - public murals Key Concepts grassroots expression cultural autonomy empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How can communities sustain artistic initiatives without external funding? - What role should institutions play in nurturing grassroots art? A Different Perspective Institutional support can still be valuable for resources and visibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aesthetic Donated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetic-donated-583043/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-expression/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Country Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-saying-583044/) [Creative people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-people/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Entertainment Aesthetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertainment-aesthetic-583045/) [Individual Creations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-creations-583046/) [Kenya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kenya/) ## Related quotes > [How much the work of an artist owes to an art movement to which he belongs can never be determined exactly, if only because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/how-much-the-work-of-an-artist-owes-to-an-art-movement-to-which-he/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) > [Except by name, Jean Paul Friedrich Richter is little known out of Germany. The only thing connected with him, we think, that has reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/except-by-name-jean-paul-friedrich-richter-is-little-known-out-of/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Who could deny that our Austria is richer than any other country? As the saying goes: "We have money like manure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/who-could-deny-that-our-austria-is-richer-than-any-other-country-as/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [Relationships should take note of our great country with the saying United We Stand, Divided We Fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/relationships-should-take-note-of-our-great-country-with-the-saying/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [“It is an aspect of Kenya I am always acutely aware of - and crave, because I don't have it all. My third language,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/it-is-an-aspect-of-kenya-i-am-always-acutely-aware-of-and-crave/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [Living in South Africa and periodically coming back to Kenya, my relationship with officialdom in Kenya was just insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/living-in-south-africa-and-periodically-coming-back-to-kenya-my/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I have learned that I, we, are a dollar-a-day people (which is terrible, they say, because a cow in Japan is worth $9 a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-have-learned-that-i-we-are-a-dollar-a-day-people-which-is-terrible/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [All great art is the expression of man's delight in God's work, not his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-great-art-is-the-expression-of-man-s-delight-in-god-s-work-not/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [All art is the expression of one and the same thing- the relation of the spirit of man to the spirit of other men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-adams/all-art-is-the-expression-of-one-and-the-same-thing-the-relation-of/) [Ansel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-adams/) > [Modern art to me is nothing more than the expression of contemporary aims of the age that we're living in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/modern-art-to-me-is-nothing-more-than-the-expression-of-contemporary/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [All that is good in art is the expression of one soul talking to another, and is precious according to the greatness of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-that-is-good-in-art-is-the-expression-of-one-soul-talking-to/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Since art is the expression of beauty and beauty can be understood only in the form of the material elements of the true idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/since-art-is-the-expression-of-beauty-and-beauty-can-be-understood/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [For me, body art is all about expression; it's a lifestyle and can serve as a reminder that when my career is done, I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edge/for-me-body-art-is-all-about-expression-it-s-a-lifestyle-and-can/) [Edge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edge/) > [Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-chagall/art-must-be-an-expression-of-love-or-it-is-nothing/) [Marc Chagall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-chagall/) > [Clothing is art. It's an expression of how you feel. I think that it's not so much a question of a certain style or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/clothing-is-art-it-s-an-expression-of-how-you-feel-i-think-that-it-s/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by Binyavanga Wainaina > [“Cloud travel is well and good when you have mastered the landings. I never have. I must live, not dream about living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/cloud-travel-is-well-and-good-when-you-have-mastered-the-landings-i/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I'm not even sure I want to use the term 'coming out.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-m-not-even-sure-i-want-to-use-the-term-coming-out/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I, Binyavanga Wainaina, quite honestly swear I have known I am a homosexual since I was five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-binyavanga-wainaina-quite-honestly-swear-i-have-known-i-am-a/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I’m extremely optimistic about rapid transformation and change of things in Africa in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-m-extremely-optimistic-about-rapid-transformation-and-change-of/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I want to be fighting for a society accountable towards its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-want-to-be-fighting-for-a-society-accountable-towards-its-citizens/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I'm an African. I was brought up here; my home is here. Being an Afropolitan, I am here to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-m-an-african-i-was-brought-up-here-my-home-is-here-being-an/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [Always end your book with Nelson Mandela saying something about rainbows or renaissances. Because you care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/always-end-your-book-with-nelson-mandela-saying-something-about/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I knew I didn't want to come out in the 'New Yorker'; it just felt wrong. It needed an African conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-knew-i-didn-t-want-to-come-out-in-the-new-yorker-it-just-felt-wrong/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dominated/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [“Science is smaller than music, than the patterns of the body; the large confident world of sound and body gathers. If my mind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/science-is-smaller-than-music-than-the-patterns-of-the-body-the-large/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I have learned that I, we, are a dollar-a-day people (which is terrible, they say, because a cow in Japan is worth $9 a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-have-learned-that-i-we-are-a-dollar-a-day-people-which-is-terrible/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [People reach an age... where somebody else's platform is no longer yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/people-reach-an-age-where-somebody-else-s-platform-is-no-longer-yours/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I love playing with words and texture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-love-playing-with-words-and-texture/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [“He has money. She will wear the mask he needs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/he-has-money-she-will-wear-the-mask-he-needs/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I am quite excited that Moi is leaving. Kenyans have changed. We have a free press, and it is no longer a situation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-am-quite-excited-that-moi-is-leaving-kenyans-have-changed-we-have-a/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) [Explore all 39 Binyavanga Wainaina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) ## 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": "“When art as an expression starts to appear, without prompting, all over the suburbs and villages of this country, what we are saying is: we are confident enough to create our own living, our own entertainment, our own aesthetic. 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