Art Quote by Marshall McLuhan
“The artist is engaged constantly in building anti-environments. (And, by the way, the Courtly Love people were engaged in making love itself into an art form.) The artist is engaged typically in creating situations and images that will vivify or revivify the ordinary scene. The ordinary scene tends to dull and numb the sensibilities. If you think of art as primarily concerned with perception and awareness, you can easily see why, when ordinary routinized forms tend to numb awareness, the role of art is to keep faculties alert.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Understanding Media, 1964
The artist creates counter‑environments that revitalize perception, counteracting the numbing effect of routine and keeping senses alert.
In simple terms: Art disrupts dullness, sharpening awareness.
Key Takeaway
Use art to challenge habitual perception.
Themes
art
perception
awareness
creativity
culture
Mood
inspirational
provocative
Type
practical
creative
When to use this quote
- gallery installations
- public murals
- interactive performance
- educational workshops
Key Concepts
anti‑environment
sensory activation
ordinary scene
revitalization
Questions to Reflect On
- What everyday spaces could become artistic interventions?
- How does art restore sensory alertness?
A Different Perspective
Art may be inaccessible to some audiences.
