--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was the artist’s duty to find the…" description: "\"“It was the artist’s duty to find the appropriate objects, and the audience’s job to decipher meaning. If the piece failed to work, it was their fault,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/david-sedaris-333_art_it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-app_2604531.jpg" --- # It was the artist’s duty to find the appropriate objects… ![“It was the artist’s duty to find the appropriate objects, and the audience’s job to decipher meaning. If the piece failed to work, it was their fault, not yours.” quote by David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/david-sedaris-333_art_it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-app_2604531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/david-sedaris-333_art_it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-app_2604531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/david-sedaris-333_art_it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-app_2604531.jpg) > ““It was the artist’s duty to find the appropriate objects, and the audience’s job to decipher meaning. If the piece failed to work, it was their fault, not yours.”” [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists must select suitable subjects; audiences must interpret them, and failure is blamed on the audience. **In simple terms:** Artists choose; audiences decode; blame shifts. Key Takeaway Choose clear material, guide interpretation. Themes artist responsibility audience interpretation accountability Mood reflective critical Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - gallery shows - literary readings - film analysis - performance art Key Concepts art criticism creative communication Questions to Reflect On - What makes a piece “appropriate”? - How can artists aid audience understanding? A Different Perspective Audiences may lack context, leading to misinterpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ## Related quotes > [It's the artist's duty to have an artist's life, somehow to obtain time and freedom and then to muster the desire and discipline to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/it-s-the-artist-s-duty-to-have-an-artist-s-life-somehow-to-obtain/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [You can't help it. An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/you-can-t-help-it-an-artist-s-duty-as-far-as-i-m-concerned-is-to/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [The artist's duty to himself is a combination of immense responsibility and immense irresponsibility. I think those two interlock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/the-artist-s-duty-to-himself-is-a-combination-of-immense/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [“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/) > [“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. He has no right to show his emotion, his involvement, to go pouring it all out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/the-artist-has-a-duty-to-be-calm-he-has-no-right-to-show-his-emotion/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [An artist's duty is rather to stay open-minded and in a state where he can receive information and inspiration. You always have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/an-artist-s-duty-is-rather-to-stay-open-minded-and-in-a-state-where/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [It's an artist's duty to reflect the times in which we live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-an-artist-s-duty-to-reflect-the-times-in-which-we-live/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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 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/) > [I think carrying moral baggage is very dangerous for an artist. 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/) > [There is a Nina Simone quote, 'It is an artist's duty to reflect the times.' This quote is everything to me and I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raye/there-is-a-nina-simone-quote-it-is-an-artist-s-duty-to-reflect-the/) [Raye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raye/) > [I'm not a politician. I don't know how to solve the problems of the world. But as an artist, I have one duty: to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-m-not-a-politician-i-don-t-know-how-to-solve-the-problems-of-the/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) ## More by David Sedaris > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“never fall asleep in a Dumpster, never underestimate a bee, never drive a convertible behind a flatbed truck, never get old, never get drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/never-fall-asleep-in-a-dumpster-never-underestimate-a-bee-never-drive/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“It was a father, one hand resting teapot-style on his hip, and the other - what would be the spout - formed into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-a-father-one-hand-resting-teapot-style-on-his-hip-and-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“A Japanese woman we’d met in Paris came to the apartment yesterday and spent several hours explaining our appliances. The microwave, the water kettle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/a-japanese-woman-we-d-met-in-paris-came-to-the-apartment-yesterday/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [One thing I like about the United States, and I kind of miss about the United States, is there's an election coming up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/one-thing-i-like-about-the-united-states-and-i-kind-of-miss-about-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [When you read comic material and people aren't laughing how do you know they're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/when-you-read-comic-material-and-people-aren-t-laughing-how-do-you/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You have how many children in your family?" the teacher would ask. "I'm guessing you must be Catholic, am I right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-have-how-many-children-in-your-family-the-teacher-would-ask-i-m/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“Like most seasoned phonies, I roundly suspect that everyone is as disingenuous as I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/like-most-seasoned-phonies-i-roundly-suspect-that-everyone-is-as/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [As a child I assumed that when I reached adulthood, I would have grown-up thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/as-a-child-i-assumed-that-when-i-reached-adulthood-i-would-have-grown/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You just take and take don´t you? Out there with your thumb in the air—not a care in the world, just grabbing whatever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-just-take-and-take-don-t-you-out-there-with-your-thumb-in-the-air/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [In other parts of the country people tried to stay together for the sake of the children. In New York they tried to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/in-other-parts-of-the-country-people-tried-to-stay-together-for-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [My boyfriend got me a computer three years ago. I'll admit it does make things a lot easier. When I was working on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/my-boyfriend-got-me-a-computer-three-years-ago-i-ll-admit-it-does/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I spent months searching for some secret code before I realized that common sense has nothing to do with it. Hysteria, psychosis, torture, depression:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-spent-months-searching-for-some-secret-code-before-i-realized-that/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I hated leaving a hole in the smoking world, and so I recruited someone to take my place. People have given me a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-hated-leaving-a-hole-in-the-smoking-world-and-so-i-recruited/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Write relentlessly, until you find your voice. Then, use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/write-relentlessly-until-you-find-your-voice-then-use-it/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) [Explore all 667 David Sedaris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## 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": "“It was the artist’s duty to find the appropriate objects, and the audience’s job to decipher meaning. If the piece failed to work, it was their fault, not yours.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Sedaris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-appropriate-objects-and-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-appropriate-objects-and-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/david-sedaris-333_art_it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-app_2604531.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/david-sedaris-333_art_it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-app_2604531.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/david-sedaris-333_art_it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-app_2604531.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was the artist’s duty to find the appropriate objects, and the audience’s job to decipher meaning. If the…” — David Sedaris", "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": "David Sedaris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It was the artist’s duty to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-appropriate-objects-and-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-the-artist-s-duty-to-find-the-appropriate-objects-and-the/#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 } } ] } ```