--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The artist's duty to himself is a…" description: "\"The artist's duty to himself is a combination of immense responsibility and immense irresponsibility. I think those two interlock.\" — David Cronenberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/david-cronenberg-8285_art_the-artist-s-duty-to-himself-is-a-combin_2290788.jpg" --- # The artist's duty to himself is a combination of immense… ![“The artist's duty to himself is a combination of immense responsibility and immense irresponsibility. I think those two interlock.” quote by David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/david-cronenberg-8285_art_the-artist-s-duty-to-himself-is-a-combin_2290788.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/david-cronenberg-8285_art_the-artist-s-duty-to-himself-is-a-combin_2290788.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cad/david-cronenberg-8285_art_the-artist-s-duty-to-himself-is-a-combin_2290788.jpg) > “The artist's duty to himself is a combination of immense responsibility and immense irresponsibility. I think those two interlock.” [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist balances great responsibility with reckless freedom, intertwining duty and chaos. **In simple terms:** Artists juggle duty and chaos. Key Takeaway Embrace both structure and daring in creation. Themes creativity responsibility rebellion Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - film making - visual art - writing - design projects Key Concepts artistic freedom ethical limits Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage risk in your art? - When does freedom become neglect? A Different Perspective Too much irresponsibility can harm reputation and audience trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Irresponsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irresponsibility/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [When it's time to film and to actually take on the role of Precious, I felt an immense responsibility to do it justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/when-it-s-time-to-film-and-to-actually-take-on-the-role-of-precious-i/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [Whatever new threats and challenges may emerge, our nation will be able to face them squarely, deal with them, and yet allow our people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/whatever-new-threats-and-challenges-may-emerge-our-nation-will-be/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [ Basically we learned not ever to do a show like that \[ Gigi Does It\] again. That took me to a limit that I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krumholtz/basically-we-learned-not-ever-to-do-a-show-like-that-gigi-does-it/) [David Krumholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krumholtz/) > [I don't think I would have been a good mother. Being a parent brings immense responsibility. It's a Herculean task. It would be almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-christie/i-don-t-think-i-would-have-been-a-good-mother-being-a-parent-brings/) [Julie Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-christie/) > [Every day, I am reminded of the immense responsibility with which New Mexicans have entrusted me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-ray-lujan/every-day-i-am-reminded-of-the-immense-responsibility-with-which-new/) [Ben Ray Lujan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-ray-lujan/) > [It is an artist's duty to be on the wrong end of the see-saw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-childish/it-is-an-artist-s-duty-to-be-on-the-wrong-end-of-the-see-saw/) [Billy Childish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-childish/) > [“A writer is lost when he grows interested in such questions as 'what is art?' and 'what is an artist's duty?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/a-writer-is-lost-when-he-grows-interested-in-such-questions-as-what/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [The artist has a duty to be calm. 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If you have a duty, it's to be true and not cover up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bono/i-think-carrying-moral-baggage-is-very-dangerous-for-an-artist-if-you/) [Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bono/) > [If the function of the artist is to see, the first duty of the critic is to understand what the artist saw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-e-h-macdonald/if-the-function-of-the-artist-is-to-see-the-first-duty-of-the-critic/) [J. E. H. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-e-h-macdonald/) > [“It is an artist's duty to reflect the times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/it-is-an-artist-s-duty-to-reflect-the-times/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) ## More by David Cronenberg > [When I am creating art, I have absolutely no social responsibility. It's like dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/when-i-am-creating-art-i-have-absolutely-no-social-responsibility-it/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [I don't mind writing so I didn't find that difficult, it's just a question of finding the time to do it. I kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/i-don-t-mind-writing-so-i-didn-t-find-that-difficult-it-s-just-a/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [It's impossible to make a movie out of 'Naked Lunch.' A literal translation just wouldn't work. It would cost $400 million to make and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/it-s-impossible-to-make-a-movie-out-of-naked-lunch-a-literal/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [I'm not very well organized unless I'm plugged into a structure like the opera or a movie. 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