Art Quote by Jorge Luis Borges
“It is worth remembering that every writer begins with a naively physical notion of what art is. A book for him or her is not an expression or a series of expressions, but literally a volume, a prism with six rectangular sides made of thin sheets of papers which should include a cover, an inside cover, an epigraph in italics, a preface, nine or ten parts with some verses at the beginning, a table of contents, an ex libris with an hourglass and a Latin phrase, a brief list of errata, some blank pages, a colophon and a publication notice: objects that are known to constitute the art of writing.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Book of Sand", 1975
Writers often start with a concrete, physical view of a book as an object before grasping its abstract purpose.
In simple terms: Writers first see books as physical objects.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the shift from form to meaning.
Themes
writing
perception
materiality
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- editing
- publishing
- design
- literary criticism
Key Concepts
metaphor
construction
semiotics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does the material view of a book affect its content?
- Can you separate form from meaning?
A Different Perspective
Physical focus may limit creative exploration of ideas.
