--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What really made me a performance artist…" description: "\"What really made me a performance artist was that I was able to step back and assess. I've always had [that ability], but it was coming to an understan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/kalup-linzy-20386_ability_what-really-made-me-a-performance-artist_1920056.jpg" --- # What really made me a performance artist was that I was… ![“What really made me a performance artist was that I was able to step back and assess. I've always had [that ability], but it was coming to an understanding.” quote by Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/kalup-linzy-20386_ability_what-really-made-me-a-performance-artist_1920056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/kalup-linzy-20386_ability_what-really-made-me-a-performance-artist_1920056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/kalup-linzy-20386_ability_what-really-made-me-a-performance-artist_1920056.jpg) > “What really made me a performance artist was that I was able to step back and assess. I've always had \[that ability\], but it was coming to an understanding.” [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist gains insight by observing oneself, turning self‑reflection into creative performance. **In simple terms:** Self‑reflection fuels artistic work. Key Takeaway Use distance to evaluate your craft. Themes self‑awareness performance creativity Mood reflective introspective Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - creative planning - stage performance - self‑analysis Key Concepts introspection artistic process Questions to Reflect On - How does stepping back change your work? - What limits does self‑assessment impose? 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It's special to have most of the graduate students in it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalup-linzy/i-cast-people-from-right-around-me-i-was-at-my-alma-mater-it-s/) [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) > [ I realized \[using my own voice\] is what creates the performance in the performance art and that's what helps creates the distance for the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalup-linzy/i-realized-using-my-own-voice-is-what-creates-the-performance-in-the/) [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) > [I've been in some biennales, and some I haven't. I always like the idea of how you meet the curator, hang out, and figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalup-linzy/i-ve-been-in-some-biennales-and-some-i-haven-t-i-always-like-the-idea/) [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) > [If you want to be somewhere, you should go to that place and check it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalup-linzy/if-you-want-to-be-somewhere-you-should-go-to-that-place-and-check-it/) [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) > [Sometimes you divorce a part of yourself to save yourself emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalup-linzy/sometimes-you-divorce-a-part-of-yourself-to-save-yourself-emotionally/) [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) > [Every artist's world is an individual experience and no one thing can prepare you. You have to go in and go where those roles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalup-linzy/every-artist-s-world-is-an-individual-experience-and-no-one-thing-can/) [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) > [When I stepped back from the gallery I was in a phase where I thought I wasn't going to be making work for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalup-linzy/when-i-stepped-back-from-the-gallery-i-was-in-a-phase-where-i-thought/) [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) > [Sometimes I just cringe. 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