--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, there's a saying in art that in…" description: "\"You know, there's a saying in art that in order to be universal you must be specific. So I think every artist feels that he is dealing with specific th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/david-cronenberg-8285_art_you-know-there-s-a-saying-in-art-that-in_1590423.jpg" --- # You know, there's a saying in art that in order to be… ![“You know, there's a saying in art that in order to be universal you must be specific. So I think every artist feels that he is dealing with specific things but that it also has significance universally.” quote by David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/david-cronenberg-8285_art_you-know-there-s-a-saying-in-art-that-in_1590423.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/david-cronenberg-8285_art_you-know-there-s-a-saying-in-art-that-in_1590423.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/david-cronenberg-8285_art_you-know-there-s-a-saying-in-art-that-in_1590423.jpg) > “You know, there's a saying in art that in order to be universal you must be specific. So I think every artist feels that he is dealing with specific things but that it also has significance universally.” [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. To achieve universal resonance, an artist must ground work in precise, personal details that echo broader human experience. **In simple terms:** Specific details make art universal. Key Takeaway Focus on personal specifics to reach wider audiences. Themes artistic expression universality specificity creativity Mood analytical creative Type advice observational When to use this quote - film directing - painting - writing - design projects Key Concepts personal narrative cultural relevance Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal detail with broader appeal? - What specific element in your work feels most universal? A Different Perspective Over‑specificity can alienate some viewers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artist Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist-feels-369062/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) [Significance Universally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance-universally-6027078/) [Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal/) [Universal Specific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal-specific-6027079/) [Universally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universally/) ## Related quotes > [An artist is someone who feels the vibrations of the world and tries to transcribe them through his medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-claudel/an-artist-is-someone-who-feels-the-vibrations-of-the-world-and-tries/) [Philippe Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-claudel/) > [I think the audience is getting it right, you know what I mean? And that's kind of rare when the artist feels like their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/i-think-the-audience-is-getting-it-right-you-know-what-i-mean-and/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [“The desire to make art begins early. Among the very young this is encouraged (or at least indulged as harmless) but the push toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/the-desire-to-make-art-begins-early-among-the-very-young-this-is/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [What distinguishes the artist from the dilettante? Only the pain the artist feels. The dilettante looks only for pleasure in art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odilon-redon/what-distinguishes-the-artist-from-the-dilettante-only-the-pain-the/) [Odilon Redon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odilon-redon/) > [I feel I am capable of much more. I guess every artist feels that way. If you are satisfied, you begin to stagnate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madhuri-dixit-nene/i-feel-i-am-capable-of-much-more-i-guess-every-artist-feels-that-way/) [Madhuri Dixit Nene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madhuri-dixit-nene/) > [Once in his lifetime every artist feels the hand of God and creates something that comes alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crane-wilbur/once-in-his-lifetime-every-artist-feels-the-hand-of-god-and-creates/) [Crane Wilbur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crane-wilbur/) > [Every true artist feels that he is touching transcendental truths; that his images are shadows of things seen through the veil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/every-true-artist-feels-that-he-is-touching-transcendental-truths/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The interesting thing about membership is that it's, by its nature, a very emotional transaction. It's a tie to an artist. It feels like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/the-interesting-thing-about-membership-is-that-it-s-by-its-nature-a/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [“A true artist feels it, a jobbing artist thinks it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-c-brennan/a-true-artist-feels-it-a-jobbing-artist-thinks-it/) [Russell C. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-c-brennan/) > [Life and mind are continuously in conflict with each other. I want happiness, security. I won't reach that by considerations of my mind; on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-van-velde/life-and-mind-are-continuously-in-conflict-with-each-other-i-want/) [Bram van Velde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-van-velde/) > [I am capable of much more. I guess every artist feels that way. If you are satisfied, you begin to stagnate. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madhuri-dixit/i-am-capable-of-much-more-i-guess-every-artist-feels-that-way-if-you/) [Madhuri Dixit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madhuri-dixit/) > [Every so often every artist feels, 'I'll never paint again. The muse has gone out the window.' In 1985, I hardly painted at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-frankenthaler/every-so-often-every-artist-feels-i-ll-never-paint-again-the-muse-has/) [Helen Frankenthaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-frankenthaler/) > [My whole family is very art-based. My sister runs a gallery, my other sister works for PACE in New York, my other sister is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-mcgowan/my-whole-family-is-very-art-based-my-sister-runs-a-gallery-my-other/) [Rose McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-mcgowan/) > [It is hard to describe the thrill of creative joy which the artist feels when the conviction seizes her that at last she has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-jeritza/it-is-hard-to-describe-the-thrill-of-creative-joy-which-the-artist/) [Maria Jeritza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-jeritza/) > [The only place where any artist feels liberated is doing independent music. I have had great experience making music for The Dewarists and Coke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-trivedi/the-only-place-where-any-artist-feels-liberated-is-doing-independent/) [Amit Trivedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-trivedi/) ## 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. 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But as an artist, that's where the paradox is - your responsibility is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/as-a-citizen-of-course-as-a-parent-of-course-but-as-an-artist-that-s/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [Well I don't think sex and violence have ever stopped a movie from being mainstream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/well-i-don-t-think-sex-and-violence-have-ever-stopped-a-movie-from/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [Even Hitchcock liked to think of himself as a puppeteer who was manipulating the strings of his audience and making them jump. He liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/even-hitchcock-liked-to-think-of-himself-as-a-puppeteer-who-was/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [“Well, yes,when you no longer have any desire, you are dead. Even desire for a product, a consumer item, is better than no desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/well-yes-when-you-no-longer-have-any-desire-you-are-dead-even-desire/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [You're seeing me develop, not only as a filmmaker if you've seen my earlier films, but you're seeing me kind of learn how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/you-re-seeing-me-develop-not-only-as-a-filmmaker-if-you-ve-seen-my/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [I work with my dreams or nightmares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/i-work-with-my-dreams-or-nightmares/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [I never thought I was doing the same thing as directors like John Carpenter, George Romero, and sometimes even Hitchcock, even though I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/i-never-thought-i-was-doing-the-same-thing-as-directors-like-john/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [“As an artist you look into yourself to understand the human potential to be all kinds of things that are not necessarily pleasant but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/as-an-artist-you-look-into-yourself-to-understand-the-human-potential/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [Let's put it this way, when I was casting, I cast Viggo first and then found someone who could play his wife, rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/let-s-put-it-this-way-when-i-was-casting-i-cast-viggo-first-and-then/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [The desire to be loved is really death when it comes to art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/the-desire-to-be-loved-is-really-death-when-it-comes-to-art/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) [Explore all 82 David Cronenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) ## 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": "You know, there's a saying in art that in order to be universal you must be specific. 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