--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Art is universal. When works of art…" description: "\"Art is universal. When works of art become classics, it is because they transcend geographical boundaries, racial barriers and time.\" — John Kani" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/john-kani-7300_art_art-is-universal-when-works-of-art-becom_1125187.jpg" --- # Art is universal. When works of art become classics, it is… ![“Art is universal. When works of art become classics, it is because they transcend geographical boundaries, racial barriers and time.” quote by John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/john-kani-7300_art_art-is-universal-when-works-of-art-becom_1125187.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/john-kani-7300_art_art-is-universal-when-works-of-art-becom_1125187.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/john-kani-7300_art_art-is-universal-when-works-of-art-becom_1125187.jpg) > “Art is universal. When works of art become classics, it is because they transcend geographical boundaries, racial barriers and time.” [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art that becomes timeless transcends culture, race, and era, achieving universal relevance. **In simple terms:** Timeless art crosses borders and cultures. Key Takeaway Create works that speak to shared humanity. Themes art universality culture timelessness Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - museum curation - global exhibitions - educational curricula - cross‑cultural collaborations Key Concepts aesthetic transcendence cultural resonance Questions to Reflect On - How does art bridge cultural divides? - What makes a work become a classic? A Different Perspective May be interpreted differently across societies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boundaries/) [Classics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classics/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [That's the beauty of art: art is universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/that-s-the-beauty-of-art-art-is-universal/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I believe that true art is universal in its appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccormack/i-believe-that-true-art-is-universal-in-its-appeal/) John McCormack > [Art is universal. It unites mankind in common brotherhood. As a missionary of civilization, its message is both to heart and mind. Distinctions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jackson-jarves/art-is-universal-it-unites-mankind-in-common-brotherhood-as-a/) James Jackson Jarves > [“Through its creative power, art may trigger approximation, reconciliation and harmonization between individuals and peoples. Through art, beings can meet and exchange their points…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/through-its-creative-power-art-may-trigger-approximation/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Art is a universal language and through it each nation makes its own unique contribution to the culture of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/art-is-a-universal-language-and-through-it-each-nation-makes-its-own/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I was an artist, but not a self-proclaimed great artist, just a common man who was working in a form of art which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kirby/i-was-an-artist-but-not-a-self-proclaimed-great-artist-just-a-common/) [Jack Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kirby/) > [I kind of wonder if creativity is all morphing into one big thing that's not even art, but something universal and bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-kind-of-wonder-if-creativity-is-all-morphing-into-one-big-thing/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Good art is not universal. Bruce Willis is universal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/good-art-is-not-universal-bruce-willis-is-universal/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [It's the true meaning of music being a universal language, constantly fighting and going through different boundaries in order for new people to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pitbull/it-s-the-true-meaning-of-music-being-a-universal-language-constantly/) [Pitbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pitbull/) > [Music is a universal thing with no boundaries, whether you play inside or outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andris-nelsons/music-is-a-universal-thing-with-no-boundaries-whether-you-play-inside/) [Andris Nelsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andris-nelsons/) > [It may happen that the enemies of Islam may consider it expedient not to take any action against Islam, if Islam leaves them alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sayyid-qutb/it-may-happen-that-the-enemies-of-islam-may-consider-it-expedient-not/) [Sayyid Qutb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sayyid-qutb/) > [One of the wonders of science is that it is completely universal. It crosses national boundaries with total ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/one-of-the-wonders-of-science-is-that-it-is-completely-universal-it/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [It's so important your customer can rely on you for your classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-wren-scott/it-s-so-important-your-customer-can-rely-on-you-for-your-classics/) [L'Wren Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-wren-scott/) > [“So it is that in our world hopes are thwarted at every turn and the people's lot is always pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royall-tyler/so-it-is-that-in-our-world-hopes-are-thwarted-at-every-turn-and-the/) Royall Tyler > [I was interested in all kinds of things, whether it be Avatar, Mad Men, Troy, 300, Battlestar Gallactica, or the poems of Horace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mendelsohn/i-was-interested-in-all-kinds-of-things-whether-it-be-avatar-mad-men/) [Daniel Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mendelsohn/) ## More by John Kani > [All over the world, there is someone sitting in a cell because he or she is not allowed freedom of expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/all-over-the-world-there-is-someone-sitting-in-a-cell-because-he-or/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I'm Dad at home, not John Kani.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-m-dad-at-home-not-john-kani/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I always say my first break was a dead man's break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-always-say-my-first-break-was-a-dead-man-s-break/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I still remember the moment when my teacher, Mr. Budaza, walked into class and said, 'Today we are going to study 'Julius Caesar,' one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-still-remember-the-moment-when-my-teacher-mr-budaza-walked-into/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I have never been attracted to television work. Even to appear in series and soapies. I have always appeared in theatre and major movies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-have-never-been-attracted-to-television-work-even-to-appear-in/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I spent 51 years under apartheid. I don't imagine suffering. I know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-spent-51-years-under-apartheid-i-don-t-imagine-suffering-i-know-it/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [Working with my friend Sir Antony Sher is truly one of the highlights of my career as an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/working-with-my-friend-sir-antony-sher-is-truly-one-of-the-highlights/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [In Australia, I almost became a counsellor. At the end of each performance there would be a queue of sobbing people backstage. They all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/in-australia-i-almost-became-a-counsellor-at-the-end-of-each/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [What does Macbeth want? What does Shakespeare want? What does Othello want? What does James want? What does Arthur Miller want when he wrote?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/what-does-macbeth-want-what-does-shakespeare-want-what-does-othello/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [In 'Lion King,' the music is brilliant. The CGI is amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/in-lion-king-the-music-is-brilliant-the-cgi-is-amazing/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [Every time there is a movie that tells a South African story, it is done by someone who must be taught the right way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/every-time-there-is-a-movie-that-tells-a-south-african-story-it-is/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [In South Africa, it is different. When you are born not even your father knows what is going to happen in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/in-south-africa-it-is-different-when-you-are-born-not-even-your/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [I'd read Shakespeare in school, translated into isiXhosa, and loved the stories, but I hadn't realised before I started reading the English text how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/i-d-read-shakespeare-in-school-translated-into-isixhosa-and-loved-the/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [We are sort of not at the level of entertainment that the Western world is. Everything we see on the play in the screen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/we-are-sort-of-not-at-the-level-of-entertainment-that-the-western/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [We haven't got those dreams: 'I wish to become doctor or a lawyer.' Black people in South Africa have been barred in doing anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/we-haven-t-got-those-dreams-i-wish-to-become-doctor-or-a-lawyer-black/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) [Explore all 92 John Kani quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) ## 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. 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": "Art is universal. 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