--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's good for art to make us think, to…" description: "\"It's good for art to make us think, to give us a shared experience that creates a dialogue, makes us talk to each other, including strangers.\" — Janet ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/janet-echelman-26618_art_it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-gi_2102636.jpg" --- # It's good for art to make us think, to give us a shared… ![“It's good for art to make us think, to give us a shared experience that creates a dialogue, makes us talk to each other, including strangers.” quote by Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/janet-echelman-26618_art_it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-gi_2102636.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/janet-echelman-26618_art_it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-gi_2102636.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/janet-echelman-26618_art_it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-gi_2102636.jpg) > “It's good for art to make us think, to give us a shared experience that creates a dialogue, makes us talk to each other, including strangers.” [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art serves as a catalyst for shared thought and conversation, bridging gaps between strangers and fostering collective understanding. **In simple terms:** Art creates shared experiences and dialogue. Key Takeaway Use art to start conversations. Themes art communication community building Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - public installations - gallery talks - online art forums - community workshops Key Concepts aesthetic theory social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How can art be made more inclusive? - What dialogue do you want your art to spark? A Different Perspective Art may not reach all audiences equally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Creates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creates/) [Dialogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dialogue/) [Dialogue Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dialogue-makes-1343960/) [Each](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/each/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Give](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/give/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-art/) [Including](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/including/) [Including Strangers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/including-strangers-3053927/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-think-378709/) [Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [Shared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shared/) [Shared Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shared-experience-247013/) [Shared experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shared-experiences/) [Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger/) [Strangers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strangers/) [Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) ## Related quotes > [You will see a 3-D movie in a movie theater for the shared experience of it - or for a date, and so on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/you-will-see-a-3-d-movie-in-a-movie-theater-for-the-shared-experience/) [Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/) > [Ultimately what I like about reading together is that we all make it happen together. Of course even amid shared experience we’re still alone……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/ultimately-what-i-like-about-reading-together-is-that-we-all-make-it/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [That's the wonderful thing about drama and writing and fiction: it's this wonderful shared experience that we all have. We can see into each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uma-thurman/that-s-the-wonderful-thing-about-drama-and-writing-and-fiction-it-s/) [Uma Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uma-thurman/) > [We had a shared experience. That makes a good marriage better. In many ways our marriage is great because she has made it great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-had-a-shared-experience-that-makes-a-good-marriage-better-in-many/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Things gain meaning by being used in a shared experience or joint action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/things-gain-meaning-by-being-used-in-a-shared-experience-or-joint/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The bare fact that language consists of sounds which are mutually intelligible is enough of itself to show that its meaning depends upon connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-bare-fact-that-language-consists-of-sounds-which-are-mutually/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [We don't have a revolution, and we don't have the time for evolution, where does it come from? It must come from some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/we-don-t-have-a-revolution-and-we-don-t-have-the-time-for-evolution/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [High school is such a shared experience in North American culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/high-school-is-such-a-shared-experience-in-north-american-culture/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [ It is the shared experience - \[although\] you're the conduit of the sound, the recipient is also in some way the author of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-sullivan/it-is-the-shared-experience-although-you-re-the-conduit-of-the-sound/) [Daniel O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-sullivan/) > [“Without shared experiences, a heterogeneous society will have a much more difficult time addressing social problems. People may even find it hard to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-r-sunstein/without-shared-experiences-a-heterogeneous-society-will-have-a-much/) [Cass R. Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-r-sunstein/) > [There is a difference, of course, between real sentiment and the trash of shared experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renata-adler/there-is-a-difference-of-course-between-real-sentiment-and-the-trash/) [Renata Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renata-adler/) > [The magic of film isn't just because of the big screen, or the acoustics, but the ineffable shared experience of going to the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-perez/the-magic-of-film-isn-t-just-because-of-the-big-screen-or-the/) [Fernando Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-perez/) > [To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-grayling/to-read-is-to-fly-it-is-to-soar-to-a-point-of-vantage-which-gives-a/) [A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-grayling/) > [Teaching art is a shared experience. Our ability to share our own personal vision and interact with others through art can become realized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bell/teaching-art-is-a-shared-experience-our-ability-to-share-our-own/) [Michael Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bell/) > [Something like film, I guess there are so many elements to it, like the dialogue and what makes sense culturally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomston/something-like-film-i-guess-there-are-so-many-elements-to-it-like-the/) [Thomston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomston/) ## More by Janet Echelman > [My whole career I've been interested by the distinction between an emotional and an intellectual response to an artwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/my-whole-career-i-ve-been-interested-by-the-distinction-between-an/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [When ideas are young and vulnerable, criticism can be lethal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/when-ideas-are-young-and-vulnerable-criticism-can-be-lethal/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [As a child, I always enjoyed building forts by stringing up bed sheets and clothes. I continue to be inspired by makeshift structures, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/as-a-child-i-always-enjoyed-building-forts-by-stringing-up-bed-sheets/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [My sculpture thrives in the context of the city, interacting with people in the course of their daily lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/my-sculpture-thrives-in-the-context-of-the-city-interacting-with/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [My monumental netted sculptural environments move through time, animated by an ever-changing 'wind choreography,' making invisible air currents suddenly visible to the human eye.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/my-monumental-netted-sculptural-environments-move-through-time/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [In Amsterdam, the river and canals have been central to city life for the last four centuries,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/in-amsterdam-the-river-and-canals-have-been-central-to-city-life-for/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [I recognize that it is through the engagement with my craft - by recognizing an idea and drawing it out, building physical models, collaborating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/i-recognize-that-it-is-through-the-engagement-with-my-craft-by/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [The spaces I want to be in are nurturing and soft and saturated with color. Our cities don't have enough of that, and as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/the-spaces-i-want-to-be-in-are-nurturing-and-soft-and-saturated-with/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [I believe people can have a profound experience by being surrounded by something beautiful - that's what I aim for. My sculpture is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/i-believe-people-can-have-a-profound-experience-by-being-surrounded/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [In Portugal, my sculpture 'She Changes' refers to the town's fishing history, to the era of seafaring trade and discovery. The contemporary site is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/in-portugal-my-sculpture-she-changes-refers-to-the-town-s-fishing/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [You can't stumble upon something new and wonderful if you don't have time to stumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/you-can-t-stumble-upon-something-new-and-wonderful-if-you-don-t-have/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [When developing an idea, I remind myself not to start with compromise. I envision the ideal manifestation of the idea, as if I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/when-developing-an-idea-i-remind-myself-not-to-start-with-compromise/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [I believe that public space should be intentional: it should be obvious that you belong,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/i-believe-that-public-space-should-be-intentional-it-should-be/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [Advances in technology have opened up possibilities in the cultural realm throughout history. I'm intrigued by developments in technology - as an artist it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/advances-in-technology-have-opened-up-possibilities-in-the-cultural/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) > [I pay two full-time assistants in my studio, plus consultants who are architects, engineers, and landscape architects, as well as lighting designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/i-pay-two-full-time-assistants-in-my-studio-plus-consultants-who-are/) [Janet Echelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) [Explore all 21 Janet Echelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/) ## 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": "It's good for art to make us think, to give us a shared experience that creates a dialogue, makes us talk to each other, including strangers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Janet Echelman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-give-us-a-shared-experience/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-give-us-a-shared-experience/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/janet-echelman-26618_art_it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-gi_2102636.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/janet-echelman-26618_art_it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-gi_2102636.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c1/janet-echelman-26618_art_it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-gi_2102636.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's good for art to make us think, to give us a shared experience that creates a dialogue, makes us talk to…” — Janet Echelman", "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": "Janet Echelman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-echelman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's good for art to make...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-give-us-a-shared-experience/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-echelman/it-s-good-for-art-to-make-us-think-to-give-us-a-shared-experience/#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 } } ] } ```