--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's great about it is that painting…" description: "\"What's great about it is that painting doesn't move. And so in the 21st century, when we're used to clicking and browsing and having constant choice, p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/kehinde-wiley-1194_21st-century_what-s-great-about-it-is-that-painting-d_1320102.jpg" --- # What's great about it is that painting doesn't move. And… ![“What's great about it is that painting doesn't move. And so in the 21st century, when we're used to clicking and browsing and having constant choice, painting simply sits there silently and begs you to notice the smallest of detail.” quote by Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/kehinde-wiley-1194_21st-century_what-s-great-about-it-is-that-painting-d_1320102.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/kehinde-wiley-1194_21st-century_what-s-great-about-it-is-that-painting-d_1320102.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/kehinde-wiley-1194_21st-century_what-s-great-about-it-is-that-painting-d_1320102.jpg) > “What's great about it is that painting doesn't move. And so in the 21st century, when we're used to clicking and browsing and having constant choice, painting simply sits there silently and begs you to notice the smallest of detail.” [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Painting offers a still, silent presence that counters modern visual overload, inviting deep, focused observation. **In simple terms:** Painting invites calm focus. Key Takeaway Pause to notice details. Themes art attention mindfulness culture Mood contemplative calm Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - gallery visits - digital detox - creative breaks - mindful walking Key Concepts visual arts slow media contemplation Questions to Reflect On - What details do you miss in daily rush? - How can you create still moments in a busy day? A Different Perspective It may not engage those seeking instant gratification. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) ## Related quotes > [When I look at a body it gives me choice of what to put in a painting, what will suit me and what won't](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian-freud/when-i-look-at-a-body-it-gives-me-choice-of-what-to-put-in-a-painting/) [Lucian Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian-freud/) > [There is no light painting or dark painting, but simply relations of tones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cezanne/there-is-no-light-painting-or-dark-painting-but-simply-relations-of/) [Paul Cezanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cezanne/) > [What I would like in my painting is simply a spray of colour that hangs like a cloud, but does not lose its shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-olitski/what-i-would-like-in-my-painting-is-simply-a-spray-of-colour-that/) [Jules Olitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-olitski/) > [Painting doesn't mean just describing; it's a state of spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryl-churchill/painting-doesn-t-mean-just-describing-it-s-a-state-of-spirit/) [Caryl Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-churchill/) > [Painting doesn't freeze time. It circulates and recycles time like a wheel that turns. Those who were first might well be last. Painting is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/painting-doesn-t-freeze-time-it-circulates-and-recycles-time-like-a/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [My approach to painting doesn't involve any heavy thinking about how am I going to present this, what am I going to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rolf-harris/my-approach-to-painting-doesn-t-involve-any-heavy-thinking-about-how/) [Rolf Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rolf-harris/) > [“A painting that doesn't shock isn't worth painting-Marcel Duchamp”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-goldfarb-marquis/a-painting-that-doesn-t-shock-isn-t-worth-painting-marcel-duchamp/) Alice Goldfarb Marquis > [Painting doesn't have a function, not in the way that music or film does... I mean, you can dance to music. Music can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-doig/painting-doesn-t-have-a-function-not-in-the-way-that-music-or-film/) [Peter Doig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-doig/) > [I always wanted to do something creative, but as much as I'm creative, it's in a really hard-core, right-brained way. For me, painting doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/i-always-wanted-to-do-something-creative-but-as-much-as-i-m-creative/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > [A painting that doesn't shock isn't worth painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/a-painting-that-doesn-t-shock-isn-t-worth-painting/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [If painting doesn't offer a way to dream and create emotions, then it's not worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-soulages/if-painting-doesn-t-offer-a-way-to-dream-and-create-emotions-then-it/) [Pierre Soulages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-soulages/) > [Nothing is as uplifting as standing before a great painting whether it was painted in 1505 or last Tuesday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-saatchi/nothing-is-as-uplifting-as-standing-before-a-great-painting-whether/) [Charles Saatchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-saatchi/) > [I really prize and love great painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-really-prize-and-love-great-painting/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [A great painting is a great painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-poons/a-great-painting-is-a-great-painting/) [Larry Poons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-poons/) > [I really prize and love great painting. It's so out of date now. It's slightly come back in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-really-prize-and-love-great-painting-it-s-so-out-of-date-now-it-s/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) ## More by Kehinde Wiley > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The erotic and the art historical imagination is something that gets very little play when people talk about my work, and when they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/the-erotic-and-the-art-historical-imagination-is-something-that-gets/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [One of the weirdest things that happened to artists and art criticism was this moment when everyone got cynical and stopped believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/one-of-the-weirdest-things-that-happened-to-artists-and-art-criticism/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [At its best, what art does is, it points to who we as human beings and what we as human beings value. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/at-its-best-what-art-does-is-it-points-to-who-we-as-human-beings-and/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [My style is in the 21st century. If you look at the process, it goes from photography through Photoshop, where certain features are heightened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/my-style-is-in-the-21st-century-if-you-look-at-the-process-it-goes/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I think the world that I grew up in was like being in this sort of magical artistic garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-the-world-that-i-grew-up-in-was-like-being-in-this-sort-of/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [It was something that came sort of matter-of-factually. Because there - it's like really - real honest engagement with the people around me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/it-was-something-that-came-sort-of-matter-of-factually-because-there/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [We're wired to be empathetic and to care about the needs of others, but also to be curious about others. And I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/we-re-wired-to-be-empathetic-and-to-care-about-the-needs-of-others/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Painting is situational. And my particular situation exists within gender, race, class, sexuality, nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/painting-is-situational-and-my-particular-situation-exists-within/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [There were certain expectations that were assumed of me as a young black American 20th-century - then 20th-century artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/there-were-certain-expectations-that-were-assumed-of-me-as-a-young/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I think, something that you might be able to locate in the work that I'm creating today: the ability to look at a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-something-that-you-might-be-able-to-locate-in-the-work-that-i/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I remember the first time I went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and saw a Kerry James Marshall painting with black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-remember-the-first-time-i-went-to-the-los-angeles-county-museum-of/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I believe that artists should be part of the culture. I think that my work clearly bears that out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-believe-that-artists-should-be-part-of-the-culture-i-think-that-my/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I guess art is in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-guess-art-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Just physically, if you looked at the house that I grew up in, my mother created this greenhouse. And surrounded the entire property. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/just-physically-if-you-looked-at-the-house-that-i-grew-up-in-my/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Explore all 275 Kehinde Wiley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) ## More 21st century quotes > [The young people today are the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/the-young-people-today-are-the-21st-century/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [“You know it’s the 21st Century when someone TEXTS you from the washroom to ask you to bring them a roll of toilet paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/you-know-it-s-the-21st-century-when-someone-texts-you-from-the/) Comic Strip Mama > [“I am made of a thousand ghosts. Only you can shoot me down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-james/i-am-made-of-a-thousand-ghosts-only-you-can-shoot-me-down/) Bella James > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The hope of Internet anarchists was that repressive governments would have only two options: accept the Internet with its limitless possibilities of spreading information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-hope-of-internet-anarchists-was-that-repressive-governments-would/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Maybe we need a tax credit for the poorest Americans to buy a laptop. Now, maybe that's wrong, maybe that's expensive, maybe we can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/maybe-we-need-a-tax-credit-for-the-poorest-americans-to-buy-a-laptop/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [The 20th century has been marked by cynicism, selfishness, greed, and the desire to please, all without changing the status quo. In the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-20th-century-has-been-marked-by-cynicism-selfishness-greed-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/i-firmly-believe-that-the-mission-of-religion-in-the-21st-century/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Facebook, Twitter...Welcome to The 21st Century...Where Someone can stalk you without leaving the couch!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/facebook-twitter-welcome-to-the-21st-century-where-someone-can-stalk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human Race is all over universe! And I am the first person to inform you. I am the most influential person of this decade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwani-kumar-ojha/human-race-is-all-over-universe-and-i-am-the-first-person-to-inform/) [Ashwani Kumar Ojha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwani-kumar-ojha/) > [Like the railroads that brought us together in the 19th century, these trails will bring us together in the 20th and 21st centuries. (at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/like-the-railroads-that-brought-us-together-in-the-19th-century-these/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [What I love about making albums in the 21st century is that so few people buy albums! I can make an album without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/what-i-love-about-making-albums-in-the-21st-century-is-that-so-few/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [As a former Apollo astronaut, I think it's safe to say that SpaceX and the other commercial developers embody the 21st century version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/as-a-former-apollo-astronaut-i-think-it-s-safe-to-say-that-spacex-and/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [The computer provides the only way to give students a real foundation in 21st-century skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/the-computer-provides-the-only-way-to-give-students-a-real-foundation/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) Browse all 771 21st century quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What's great about it is that painting doesn't move. 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