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Art Quote by Lorrie Moore

“The detachment of the artist is kind of creepy. It's kind of rude, and yet really it's where art comes from. It's not the same as courage. It's closer to bad manners than to courage. [...] if you're going to be a writer, you basically have to say, 'this is just who I am […]'. There's a certain…” quote by Lorrie Moore
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“The detachment of the artist is kind of creepy. It's kind of rude, and yet really it's where art comes from. It's not the same as courage. It's closer to bad manners than to courage. [...] if you're going to be a writer, you basically have to say, 'this is just who I am […]'. There's a certain indefensibility about it. It's not about loving your community and taking care of it — you're not attached to the chamber of commerce. It's a little unsafe. You have to be willing to have only four friends, not 11.”

Lorrie Moore

About This Quote

Source Interview: The New Yorker, 2015

The artist must detach from social expectations, risking rudeness, to create authentic work, not out of courage but because of a necessary isolation.

In simple terms: Artists need distance from norms to be authentic.

Key Takeaway

Embrace necessary isolation for true art.

Themes

creativity authenticity isolation risk individualism

Mood

reflective serious

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • writing
  • painting
  • music composition
  • solo performance
  • creative brainstorming

Key Concepts

artistic integrity personal truth social detachment

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does isolation affect artistic authenticity?
  • Is it possible to create without risking social ties?
A Different Perspective

Detachment can lead to alienation and loss of community support.

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