--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Success is really when you create a…" description: "\"Success is really when you create a space, a piece of art, and people come in and say, that's my story - when they claim it.\" — Haile Gerima" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/haile-gerima-21623_art_success-is-really-when-you-create-a-spac_1338925.jpg" --- # Success is really when you create a space, a piece of art… ![“Success is really when you create a space, a piece of art, and people come in and say, that's my story - when they claim it.” quote by Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/haile-gerima-21623_art_success-is-really-when-you-create-a-spac_1338925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/haile-gerima-21623_art_success-is-really-when-you-create-a-spac_1338925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/haile-gerima-21623_art_success-is-really-when-you-create-a-spac_1338925.jpg) > “Success is really when you create a space, a piece of art, and people come in and say, that's my story - when they claim it.” [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art becomes meaningful when audiences see their own stories reflected, turning personal narratives into shared identity. **In simple terms:** Art that mirrors lives creates connection. Key Takeaway Create spaces for shared stories. Themes art identity community storytelling Mood reflective creative Type cultural inspirational When to use this quote - gallery exhibitions - public murals - film screenings - community workshops Key Concepts cultural studies psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can art invite diverse perspectives? - What stories need more representation? A Different Perspective Not all viewers will relate personally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) [Create Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create-space/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Really Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-create-1335104/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story Claim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-claim-4516788/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-really/) ## Related quotes > [An artist doesn't really create anything - he just rearranges what is already there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/an-artist-doesn-t-really-create-anything-he-just-rearranges-what-is/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [I like that when you create you really do create with a very small group of people, and in that space, before it goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/i-like-that-when-you-create-you-really-do-create-with-a-very-small/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [I mean, can I really create a full, three-dimensional character? I don't know anymore. I'm certainly going to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-mean-can-i-really-create-a-full-three-dimensional-character-i-don-t/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [I had to really create a positive atmosphere for myself, and that has to come from within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-namajunas/i-had-to-really-create-a-positive-atmosphere-for-myself-and-that-has/) [Rose Namajunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-namajunas/) > [When I dont have a good time making music, I think of quitting a lot. I really do. I can create something else. Ill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danger-mouse/when-i-dont-have-a-good-time-making-music-i-think-of-quitting-a-lot-i/) [Danger Mouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danger-mouse/) > [You really have to create everything in order to come away with a full human being on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-mathis/you-really-have-to-create-everything-in-order-to-come-away-with-a/) [Samantha Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-mathis/) > [The artist does not really create; he discovers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyman-abbott/the-artist-does-not-really-create-he-discovers/) [Lyman Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyman-abbott/) > [ We are very lucky really, because we can create our own reality, John \[Lennon\] and me, but we know the important thing is to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/we-are-very-lucky-really-because-we-can-create-our-own-reality-john/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [I don't really create things externally; I'm not that kind of actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-samuel/i-don-t-really-create-things-externally-i-m-not-that-kind-of-actor/) [Benedict Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-samuel/) > [I really enjoy working in genre series, because you really have to create the characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/i-really-enjoy-working-in-genre-series-because-you-really-have-to/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [I really create everything I do from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-g/i-really-create-everything-i-do-from-the-heart/) [Kenny G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-g/) > [Your greatest creation is your creative life. It's all in your hands. Rejection can't take it away; reviews can't take it away. The life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/your-greatest-creation-is-your-creative-life-it-s-all-in-your-hands/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [When I don't have a good time making music, I think of quitting a lot. I really do. I can create something else. I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danger-mouse/when-i-don-t-have-a-good-time-making-music-i-think-of-quitting-a-lot/) [Danger Mouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danger-mouse/) > [Something greater than wealth, grander even than fame — that manhood, character, stand for success, and that nothing else really does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/something-greater-than-wealth-grander-even-than-fame-that-manhood/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [Failure is what makes success really a SUCCESS!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/failure-is-what-makes-success-really-a-success/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Haile Gerima > [When you don't work together you can't emerge as a force. It becomes what some call a "lonely struggle" and individual self-destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/when-you-don-t-work-together-you-can-t-emerge-as-a-force-it-becomes/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [Most young people now are very vulnerable as to what the American film aficionados are going to say. They care too much about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/most-young-people-now-are-very-vulnerable-as-to-what-the-american/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [To me, entertainment is really the new plantation. It's the new sugar, the new cotton, that black people work for somebody else to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/to-me-entertainment-is-really-the-new-plantation-it-s-the-new-sugar/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [Tarantino is a spoiled little white kid. He can do any movie he wants and nobody can do anything about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/tarantino-is-a-spoiled-little-white-kid-he-can-do-any-movie-he-wants/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [I am not interested only in telling a story, but I want to tell it my way. I don't want my accent, my temperament,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/i-am-not-interested-only-in-telling-a-story-but-i-want-to-tell-it-my/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [Most young people make films to be accepted, to be discovered, when in fact that was the last idea with the group I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/most-young-people-make-films-to-be-accepted-to-be-discovered-when-in/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [I really do not care what the white world is doing. I care about black people building the monument on slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/i-really-do-not-care-what-the-white-world-is-doing-i-care-about-black/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [I'm organizing documentary films, and whenever scriptwriting gets too tedious I go to my editing room and start to edit the documentary, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/i-m-organizing-documentary-films-and-whenever-scriptwriting-gets-too/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [You have to have a very strong cash flow for a film to really stay in theaters. You have to have the advertising capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/you-have-to-have-a-very-strong-cash-flow-for-a-film-to-really-stay-in/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [ For me, I think \[art\] exists in a cave. I am in a cave. I have my own editing place, but I'm not powerful… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/for-me-i-think-art-exists-in-a-cave-i-am-in-a-cave-i-have-my-own/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [I think once you have films in certain festivals you begin to have name recognition, and there are possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/i-think-once-you-have-films-in-certain-festivals-you-begin-to-have/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [A lot of young black people in America, and even in Africa and Brazil, would say that they are telling their story, but most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/a-lot-of-young-black-people-in-america-and-even-in-africa-and-brazil/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [To me the industry has always said that the lovers and haters and principal characters will always be white in Hollywood, and black people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/to-me-the-industry-has-always-said-that-the-lovers-and-haters-and/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [The true story is that black people need to tell their history. Very few films are made by black people about slavery. That itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/the-true-story-is-that-black-people-need-to-tell-their-history-very/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) > [ When my film went to the Venice Film Festival and won the best script writing, the jury \[prize\], it didn't go to my head.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/when-my-film-went-to-the-venice-film-festival-and-won-the-best-script/) [Haile Gerima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) [Explore all 29 Haile Gerima quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/) ## 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": "Success is really when you create a space, a piece of art, and people come in and say, that's my story - when they claim it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Haile Gerima" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/success-is-really-when-you-create-a-space-a-piece-of-art-and-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/success-is-really-when-you-create-a-space-a-piece-of-art-and-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/haile-gerima-21623_art_success-is-really-when-you-create-a-spac_1338925.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/haile-gerima-21623_art_success-is-really-when-you-create-a-spac_1338925.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a0/haile-gerima-21623_art_success-is-really-when-you-create-a-spac_1338925.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Success is really when you create a space, a piece of art, and people come in and say, that's my story…” — Haile Gerima", "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": "Haile Gerima", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gerima/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Success is really when you create...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/success-is-really-when-you-create-a-space-a-piece-of-art-and-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gerima/success-is-really-when-you-create-a-space-a-piece-of-art-and-people/#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 } } ] } ```