--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After all, the work isn't the point; the…" description: "\"After all, the work isn't the point; the piece is.\" — Donald Judd" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/donald-judd-14721_after_after-all-the-work-isn-t-the-point-the-p_2516323.jpg" --- # After all, the work isn't the point; the piece is. ![“After all, the work isn't the point; the piece is.” quote by Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/donald-judd-14721_after_after-all-the-work-isn-t-the-point-the-p_2516323.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/donald-judd-14721_after_after-all-the-work-isn-t-the-point-the-p_2516323.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/donald-judd-14721_after_after-all-the-work-isn-t-the-point-the-p_2516323.jpg) > “After all, the work isn't the point; the piece is.” [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artwork’s value lies in its piece, not its function. **In simple terms:** Art is about the piece itself. Key Takeaway Focus on the artwork’s essence over utility. Themes art aesthetics purpose Mood contemplative critical Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - gallery curation - art criticism - design education Key Concepts minimalism conceptual art Questions to Reflect On - How does removing function affect perception? - Can a piece be both functional and artistic? A Different Perspective Some argue function enhances meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [After](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after/) [Piece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piece/) [Point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point/) [Point Piece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-piece-1205573/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-isn-257125/) ## Related quotes > [The ultimate point of a piece for me is that it drives the next one. Does it open new doors? That's the success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/the-ultimate-point-of-a-piece-for-me-is-that-it-drives-the-next-one/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I've always felt that there's a point where a piece seems to be alive, that is, living. And that's the point where I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tudor/i-ve-always-felt-that-there-s-a-point-where-a-piece-seems-to-be-alive/) [David Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tudor/) > [What we call creative work, ought not to be called work at all, because it isn't. I imagine that Thomas Edison never did a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/what-we-call-creative-work-ought-not-to-be-called-work-at-all-because-2/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [My work isn't about form. It's about seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-lichtenstein/my-work-isn-t-about-form-it-s-about-seeing/) [Roy Lichtenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-lichtenstein/) > [There are lots of things that keep me awake at night, but work isn't one of them. I mean, no-one's going to die if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/there-are-lots-of-things-that-keep-me-awake-at-night-but-work-isn-t/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [If your work isn't exciting, doesn't stir the emotions, where's the challenge? Where's the progress if you always play it safe?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/if-your-work-isn-t-exciting-doesn-t-stir-the-emotions-where-s-the/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [“Things work out; it isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/things-work-out-it-isn-t-as-bad-as-you-sometimes-think-it-is/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [“Hard work by itself isn't worth two cents on a rainy day if it doesn't give you a good life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/hard-work-by-itself-isn-t-worth-two-cents-on-a-rainy-day-if-it-doesn/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [Work alone isn't enough for me and mine; we know how to break our backs, but the great dream Of my fathers was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/work-alone-isn-t-enough-for-me-and-mine-we-know-how-to-break-our/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Hard work isn't enough. You got to believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-rose/hard-work-isn-t-enough-you-got-to-believe/) [Derrick Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-rose/) > [Your work isn't a high stakes, nail-biting professional challenge. It's a form of play. Lighten up and have fun with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/your-work-isn-t-a-high-stakes-nail-biting-professional-challenge-it-s/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [“When work isn’t done properly, it ruins all the energy and effort put into it. Improper work doesn’t bring any outcomes. If any, mostly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishal-ostwal/when-work-isn-t-done-properly-it-ruins-all-the-energy-and-effort-put/) [Vishal Ostwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishal-ostwal/) > [If work isn't rooted in comedy, people will turn from it, or they'll use it like soap opera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-horovitz/if-work-isn-t-rooted-in-comedy-people-will-turn-from-it-or-they-ll/) [Israel Horovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-horovitz/) > [It sounds a little extreme, but in this day and age, if your work isn't online, it doesn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/it-sounds-a-little-extreme-but-in-this-day-and-age-if-your-work-isn-t/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“What we call creative work, Ought not to be called work at all because it isn't. I imagine that Thomas Edison never did a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-we-call-creative-work-ought-not-to-be-called-work-at-all-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Donald Judd > [But I think you have to - whatever the environment looks like, it does enter into people's art work one way or another; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/but-i-think-you-have-to-whatever-the-environment-looks-like-it-does/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [I pay a lot of attention to how things are done and the whole activity of building something is interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/i-pay-a-lot-of-attention-to-how-things-are-done-and-the-whole/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [But I think that's a particular kind of experience involving a certain immediacy between you and the canvass, you and the particular kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/but-i-think-that-s-a-particular-kind-of-experience-involving-a/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [The older painting - well, it does have an effect all at once, I suppose, but it's of a lesser intensity than a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/the-older-painting-well-it-does-have-an-effect-all-at-once-i-suppose/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [Well, I am not interested in the kind of expression that you have when you paint a painting with brush strokes. It's all right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/well-i-am-not-interested-in-the-kind-of-expression-that-you-have-when/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [Well, there's a morality in that you want your work to be good, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/well-there-s-a-morality-in-that-you-want-your-work-to-be-good-i/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [There's probably more in the American tradition than people give the place credit for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/there-s-probably-more-in-the-american-tradition-than-people-give-the/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [Usually when someone says a thing is too simple, they're saying that certain familiar things aren't there, and they're seeing a couple maybe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/usually-when-someone-says-a-thing-is-too-simple-they-re-saying-that/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [I think most of the art now is involved with a denial of any kind of absolute morality, or general morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/i-think-most-of-the-art-now-is-involved-with-a-denial-of-any-kind-of/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [Art and architecture -- all the arts -- do not have to exist in isolation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/art-and-architecture-all-the-arts-do-not-have-to-exist-in-isolation/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [Color, to continue had to occur in space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/color-to-continue-had-to-occur-in-space/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [I think some of the things I deal with Hopper probably has dealt with also, since it's somewhat the same environment and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/i-think-some-of-the-things-i-deal-with-hopper-probably-has-dealt-with/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [If a chair or a building is not functional … it is ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/if-a-chair-or-a-building-is-not-functional-it-is-ridiculous/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [It isn't necessary for a work to have a lot of things to look at, to compare, to analyze one by one, to contemplate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/it-isn-t-necessary-for-a-work-to-have-a-lot-of-things-to-look-at-to/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [Any combining, mixing, adding, diluting, exploiting, vulgarizing, or popularizing of abstract art deprives art of its essence and depraves the artist's artistic consciousness. Art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/any-combining-mixing-adding-diluting-exploiting-vulgarizing-or/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) [Explore all 45 Donald Judd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) ## More After quotes > [At the drop of a hat, people will say there are no roles for women after 40. It's there with a bunch of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/at-the-drop-of-a-hat-people-will-say-there-are-no-roles-for-women/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [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/) > [I was strictly after hits when it came down to the Jackson 5. That's all I was concerned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deke-richards/i-was-strictly-after-hits-when-it-came-down-to-the-jackson-5-that-s/) [Deke Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deke-richards/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [When good media takes a bounded form, and comes once in a period of time, it begs to be consumed as a whole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/when-good-media-takes-a-bounded-form-and-comes-once-in-a-period-of/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I have a lot of success and make a good living, but after while, you start going 'Why? Why are you doing all this?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-have-a-lot-of-success-and-make-a-good-living-but-after-while-you/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [See to do good, and you will find that happiness will run after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman-clarke/see-to-do-good-and-you-will-find-that-happiness-will-run-after-you/) [James Freeman Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman-clarke/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Sometimes after a compliment about my characterization skills, I'm asked if I model my characters on real people. Emphatically, no. And sort of, yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/sometimes-after-a-compliment-about-my-characterization-skills-i-m/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [After The Wizard Of Oz I was typecast as a lion, and there aren't all that many parts for lions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-lahr/after-the-wizard-of-oz-i-was-typecast-as-a-lion-and-there-aren-t-all/) [Bert Lahr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-lahr/) > [I'm pretty cautious and not very athletic, so I've only had really dumb injuries, like sprained ankles and allergic reactions. 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