--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think art, if it's meaningful at all…" description: "\"I think art, if it's meaningful at all, is a conversation with other artists. You say something, they say something, you move back and forth.\" — John B..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/john-baldessari-16840_art_i-think-art-if-it-s-meaningful-at-all-is_1674918.png" --- # I think art, if it's meaningful at all, is a conversation… ![“I think art, if it's meaningful at all, is a conversation with other artists. You say something, they say something, you move back and forth.” quote by John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/john-baldessari-16840_art_i-think-art-if-it-s-meaningful-at-all-is_1674918.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/john-baldessari-16840_art_i-think-art-if-it-s-meaningful-at-all-is_1674918.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/john-baldessari-16840_art_i-think-art-if-it-s-meaningful-at-all-is_1674918.png) > “I think art, if it's meaningful at all, is a conversation with other artists. You say something, they say something, you move back and forth.” [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Meaningful art is a back‑and‑forth conversation among artists, building ideas together. **In simple terms:** Art is a dialogue between creators. Key Takeaway Engage in collaborative artistic exchange. Themes art communication creativity collaboration Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - studio workshops - artist residencies - online forums - joint exhibitions Key Concepts dialogue influence process Questions to Reflect On - How can artists ensure dialogue remains constructive? - What role does critique play in artistic growth? A Different Perspective Conversation can become echo chamber without critical challenge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-meaningful-896436/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artists Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists-say-404302/) [Back and forth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-and-forth/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Conversation Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation-artists-896437/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful/) [Meaningful Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful-conversation-896438/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Think Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-art/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's important that your work is in conversation with artists in your community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daveed-diggs/i-think-it-s-important-that-your-work-is-in-conversation-with-artists/) [Daveed Diggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daveed-diggs/) > [The evolution of art is not only driven by artists, but by a conversation between the artists and the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/the-evolution-of-art-is-not-only-driven-by-artists-but-by-a/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [Art is no crime. It's every artist's responsibility to make art that is meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-neshat/art-is-no-crime-it-s-every-artist-s-responsibility-to-make-art-that/) [Shirin Neshat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-neshat/) > [Create quality art… meaningful, passionate and high quality work! If it's not meaningful to you, how can you expect it to be meaningful to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-trepanier/create-quality-art-meaningful-passionate-and-high-quality-work-if-it/) [Cory Trepanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-trepanier/) > [I don't believe that art is just for entertainment. I want to create art that is meaningful in some way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-coon/i-don-t-believe-that-art-is-just-for-entertainment-i-want-to-create/) [Carrie Coon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-coon/) > [“The real story can never be told. It is untellable. The real (as real) is inaccessible, being gone in time. There is no point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/the-real-story-can-never-be-told-it-is-untellable-the-real-as-real-is/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [I'm always for constructive conversation, meaningful conversation, not just words, but conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-bickerstaff/i-m-always-for-constructive-conversation-meaningful-conversation-not/) [J. B. Bickerstaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-bickerstaff/) > [Whether a plane to Singapore, a subway in Manhattan, or the streets of Cincinnati, I search for meaningful conversation wherever I may travel. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhani-jones/whether-a-plane-to-singapore-a-subway-in-manhattan-or-the-streets-of/) [Dhani Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhani-jones/) > [Most of the value of deep learning today is in narrow domains where you can get a lot of data. Here's one example of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ng/most-of-the-value-of-deep-learning-today-is-in-narrow-domains-where/) [Andrew Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ng/) > [“It's not the coffee that unfurls our minds and spirits, but the meaningful conversation that accompanies it. It's not the coffee that lifts our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lang/it-s-not-the-coffee-that-unfurls-our-minds-and-spirits-but-the/) [Sarah Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lang/) > [I love you and probably always will. But we go days without having a meaningful conversation. And I use to miss when that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-tree-hill/i-love-you-and-probably-always-will-but-we-go-days-without-having-a/) [One Tree Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-tree-hill/) > [“When the cure for insecurity and meaningful conversation is to slap a cell phone against your ear, hide within your iPod, or tap out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-trout/when-the-cure-for-insecurity-and-meaningful-conversation-is-to-slap-a/) [Nick Trout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-trout/) > [After macrobiotics, Zen, and channeling, the "poor Vanishing Indian" is once more the subject of "deep and meaningful conversation" in the high rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-brave-bird/after-macrobiotics-zen-and-channeling-the-poor-vanishing-indian-is/) [Mary Brave Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-brave-bird/) > [“If I can make you feel the same way that I feel about my product or service we’ll have a meaningful conversation about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murray/if-i-can-make-you-feel-the-same-way-that-i-feel-about-my-product-or/) [Chris Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murray/) > [“Though her grasp of English was modest and his Italian non-existent, their rapport was at once intuitive and intimate, founded more on physical attraction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-radcliffe/though-her-grasp-of-english-was-modest-and-his-italian-non-existent/) [Robert Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-radcliffe/) ## More by John Baldessari > [It's human desire to be understood. And we always feel we're not understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/it-s-human-desire-to-be-understood-and-we-always-feel-we-re-not/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [Talent is cheap, you have to be possessed or obsessed, rather. You really have to feel like you cannot not do art, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/talent-is-cheap-you-have-to-be-possessed-or-obsessed-rather-you/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [The idea of vaudeville clowns and court jesters is always to show the flaw, to point out what's not working and why it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/the-idea-of-vaudeville-clowns-and-court-jesters-is-always-to-show-the/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [I will not make anymore boring art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/i-will-not-make-anymore-boring-art/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [Writing helped me understand what I was thinking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/writing-helped-me-understand-what-i-was-thinking-about/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [Probably one of the worst things that happened to photography is that cameras have viewfinders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/probably-one-of-the-worst-things-that-happened-to-photography-is-that/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [There's no such thing as a bad photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-bad-photograph/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [I think I live such a boring life. But I can't imagine any other kind of life, so I guess it's the life I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/i-think-i-live-such-a-boring-life-but-i-can-t-imagine-any-other-kind/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [I was teaching live drawing in a community college and students started zoning in on the face and spending a couple of hours on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/i-was-teaching-live-drawing-in-a-community-college-and-students/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [Ideally I would like the work to be a hybrid between painting and photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/ideally-i-would-like-the-work-to-be-a-hybrid-between-painting-and/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [Most of my friends are women. I think women are more interesting to talk to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/most-of-my-friends-are-women-i-think-women-are-more-interesting-to/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [The idea was to take fine art and put it into the location of the movie scripts. The script itself is collage - some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/the-idea-was-to-take-fine-art-and-put-it-into-the-location-of-the/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [If I saw the art around me that I liked, then I wouldn't do art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/if-i-saw-the-art-around-me-that-i-liked-then-i-wouldn-t-do-art/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [I could never figure out why photography and art had separate histories. So I decided to explore both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/i-could-never-figure-out-why-photography-and-art-had-separate/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) > [I go back and forth between wanting to be abundantly simple and maddeningly complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldessari/i-go-back-and-forth-between-wanting-to-be-abundantly-simple-and/) [John Baldessari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) [Explore all 38 John Baldessari quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldessari/) ## 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": "I think art, if it's meaningful at all, is a conversation with other artists. 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