--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Artists have their existential questions…" description: "\"Artists have their existential questions as human beings, and they address these questions in their works. But they are also thinking in a broader sens..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe9/gunnar-kvaran-85917_art_artists-have-their-existential-questions_2786486.jpg" --- # Artists have their existential questions as human beings… ![“Artists have their existential questions as human beings, and they address these questions in their works. But they are also thinking in a broader sense when they participate in a social and political debate through their works. Often the most important voices of artists in the political and the…” quote by Gunnar Kvaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe9/gunnar-kvaran-85917_art_artists-have-their-existential-questions_2786486.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe9/gunnar-kvaran-85917_art_artists-have-their-existential-questions_2786486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe9/gunnar-kvaran-85917_art_artists-have-their-existential-questions_2786486.jpg) > “Artists have their existential questions as human beings, and they address these questions in their works. But they are also thinking in a broader sense when they participate in a social and political debate through their works. Often the most important voices of artists in the political and the social debate are focused on originality in their works. We can see this in historical pieces, like "Guernica" by Picasso. "Guernica" was an extremely important manifestation and critique against war, but it was important and powerful because it was also an incredibly original and powerful work of art.” Gunnar Kvaran ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists use their work to explore existential themes and engage in social-political discourse, often through original, impactful pieces. **In simple terms:** Art reflects deep questions and societal issues. Key Takeaway Create meaningful, original art. Themes art politics originality existentialism Mood thoughtful inspirational Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - public debates - exhibitions - education - activism Key Concepts cultural critique creativity Questions to Reflect On - How can art balance personal expression and social impact? - What makes a work politically powerful? A Different Perspective Originality may be limited by constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Critique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critique/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Existential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existential/) [Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Manifestation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manifestation/) [Originality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originality/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Artists are political in the sense that they've subtracted themselves from the structure of the marketplace and are contributing something that's not utilitarian. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-kushner/artists-are-political-in-the-sense-that-they-ve-subtracted-themselves/) [Rachel Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-kushner/) > [These artists all have some kind of message to the public. These messages can be quite personal, maybe about their own existential situation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-kvaran/these-artists-all-have-some-kind-of-message-to-the-public-these/) Gunnar Kvaran > [The critique of social inequality, which is very much a part of my story, came about naturally from my recollection of Huck and Tom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lock/the-critique-of-social-inequality-which-is-very-much-a-part-of-my/) [Norman Lock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lock/) > [Whenever convictions are not arrived at by direct contact with the world and the objects themselves, but indirectly through a critique of the opinions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-scheler/whenever-convictions-are-not-arrived-at-by-direct-contact-with-the/) [Max Scheler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-scheler/) > [“novel excerpts rarely benefit from group critique. 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It is a mere critique, not a living idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parker-yockey/liberalism-can-only-be-defined-negatively-it-is-a-mere-critique-not-a/) [Francis Parker Yockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parker-yockey/) > [I love my family, even as I critique their dysfunctionalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-love-my-family-even-as-i-critique-their-dysfunctionalities/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [It's difficult sometimes to go and see a show and enjoy it and not go and see a show and critique it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-garratt/it-s-difficult-sometimes-to-go-and-see-a-show-and-enjoy-it-and-not-go/) [Jack Garratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-garratt/) > [America is not static. America is striving. And sometimes, America requires critique. Jingoism is an avoidance of realism. You can simultaneously love and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/america-is-not-static-america-is-striving-and-sometimes-america/) [Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/) > [I want to decouple this idea that critique is hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-ellis/i-want-to-decouple-this-idea-that-critique-is-hatred/) [Lindsay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-ellis/) > [“Rather than critique people, try admiring God’s creative handiwork.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/rather-than-critique-people-try-admiring-god-s-creative-handiwork/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [If I think something is heinous, but the person feels amazing in it, who am I to critique it? If they think that those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-france/if-i-think-something-is-heinous-but-the-person-feels-amazing-in-it/) [Tan France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-france/) > [What’s looming in the shadows of our ignorance and denial is a critique of civilization itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lierre-keith/what-s-looming-in-the-shadows-of-our-ignorance-and-denial-is-a/) [Lierre Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lierre-keith/) > [I get that the media wants us to play theater critics and critique every other proposal. What I'm focusing on are my own policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-get-that-the-media-wants-us-to-play-theater-critics-and-critique/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## More by Gunnar Kvaran > [These artists all have some kind of message to the public. These messages can be quite personal, maybe about their own existential situation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-kvaran/these-artists-all-have-some-kind-of-message-to-the-public-these/) Gunnar Kvaran > [There's a shift of these young artists who have been brought up, educated, with these media around them. If you have a question, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-kvaran/there-s-a-shift-of-these-young-artists-who-have-been-brought-up/) Gunnar Kvaran Explore all 3 Gunnar Kvaran quotes ## 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. 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