--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Contemporary art is based on that an…" description: "\"Contemporary art is based on that an artist is supposed to go into art history in the same way as an art historian. When the artist produces something ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/odd-nerdrum-27218_art_contemporary-art-is-based-on-that-an-art_3177172.jpg" --- # Contemporary art is based on that an artist is supposed to… ![“Contemporary art is based on that an artist is supposed to go into art history in the same way as an art historian. When the artist produces something he or she relates to it with the eye of an art historian/critic. I have the feeling that when I am working it is more like working with soap opera…” quote by Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/odd-nerdrum-27218_art_contemporary-art-is-based-on-that-an-art_3177172.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/odd-nerdrum-27218_art_contemporary-art-is-based-on-that-an-art_3177172.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc9/odd-nerdrum-27218_art_contemporary-art-is-based-on-that-an-art_3177172.jpg) > “Contemporary art is based on that an artist is supposed to go into art history in the same way as an art historian. When the artist produces something he or she relates to it with the eye of an art historian/critic. I have the feeling that when I am working it is more like working with soap opera or glamour. It is emotional and not art criticism or history of art.” [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects frustration with contemporary art’s focus on personal drama over scholarly critique, suggesting it feels more like entertainment than serious art history. **In simple terms:** Contemporary art feels more like entertainment than serious critique. Key Takeaway Seek depth over spectacle. Themes art criticism authenticity modernism Mood reflective critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - gallery curation - art education - creative practice - public exhibitions Key Concepts aesthetic theory cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How can artists balance emotional storytelling with critical analysis? - What role should history play in modern creation? A Different Perspective It may overlook the value of emotional expression in art. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Historian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-historian/) [Art history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-history/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Contemporary art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemporary-art/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Glamour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glamour/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Of Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-of-art/) [Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera/) [Soap opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soap-opera/) [Soap operas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soap-operas/) ## Related quotes > [I am not a genre-based artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tash-sultana/i-am-not-a-genre-based-artist/) [Tash Sultana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tash-sultana/) > [“none of my art is based on how others think i should have done it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darnell-lamont-walker/none-of-my-art-is-based-on-how-others-think-i-should-have-done-it/) [Darnell Lamont Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darnell-lamont-walker/) > [Feminist art is not some tiny creek running off the great river of real art. It is not some crack in an otherwise flawless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/feminist-art-is-not-some-tiny-creek-running-off-the-great-river-of-2/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) > [Art is based on order. The world is full of 'sloppy Bohemians' and their work betrays them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/art-is-based-on-order-the-world-is-full-of-sloppy-bohemians-and-their/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [Future art that is based on appearances won't look like the art that's gone before. Even revivals of a period are not the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/future-art-that-is-based-on-appearances-won-t-look-like-the-art-that/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [My whole art is based on escaping life and reality, which might not the best tendency to have when you're trying to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/my-whole-art-is-based-on-escaping-life-and-reality-which-might-not/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [It's the first time that I've ever had an art show based on a film, but it's a photography collage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-kilmer/it-s-the-first-time-that-i-ve-ever-had-an-art-show-based-on-a-film/) [Val Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-kilmer/) > [Art is based on very clear, mathematical principles like proportion and harmony. At the same time, physicists need to be inventive, to have ideas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabiola-gianotti/art-is-based-on-very-clear-mathematical-principles-like-proportion/) [Fabiola Gianotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabiola-gianotti/) > [Ideas in art may be quite evident, and sometimes they're hidden. Sometimes they're simple, and sometimes they're quite complex. Great works of art can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-taaffe/ideas-in-art-may-be-quite-evident-and-sometimes-they-re-hidden/) [Philip Taaffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-taaffe/) > [All art is based on nonconformity ... Without nonconformity we would have had no Bill of Rights or Magna Carta, no public education system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/all-art-is-based-on-nonconformity-without-nonconformity-we-would-have/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [In spite the mountains of books written about art, no precise definition of art has been constructed. And the reason for this is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/in-spite-the-mountains-of-books-written-about-art-no-precise/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Art that is based on scenes from the Bible is not better than art that is based on scenes from, say, Shakespeare or Homer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/art-that-is-based-on-scenes-from-the-bible-is-not-better-than-art/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [While guns rumbled in the distance, we sang, painted, made collages and wrote poems with all our might. We were seeking an art based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-arp/while-guns-rumbled-in-the-distance-we-sang-painted-made-collages-and/) [Hans Arp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-arp/) > [All art is based on non-conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/all-art-is-based-on-non-conformity/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [My art is based on impurity. You have to mix things from different refined cultures to get something raw, to make it go again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-scully/my-art-is-based-on-impurity-you-have-to-mix-things-from-different/) [Sean Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-scully/) ## More by Odd Nerdrum > [If a girl is in love with a poor guy and chooses him, then that is worst for her. If she chooses a rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/if-a-girl-is-in-love-with-a-poor-guy-and-chooses-him-then-that-is/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [I had a choice. I could become an economist & managing director. I choose to do something else. I would have become much, much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/i-had-a-choice-i-could-become-an-economist-managing-director-i-choose/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [Talking about success in society, no one can complain, because today everyone can choose what he or she wants. They don't just have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/talking-about-success-in-society-no-one-can-complain-because-today/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [Desire is something very egoistic. If you desire something, you also have to take the consequences of that. You have to study the market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/desire-is-something-very-egoistic-if-you-desire-something-you-also/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [When you choose your profession, you also choose your own downfall or success. If one chooses to become an artist it is 99% certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/when-you-choose-your-profession-you-also-choose-your-own-downfall-or/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [I believe one must be such a big egoist that it is possible to avoid the big tendencies that cut of your head. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/i-believe-one-must-be-such-a-big-egoist-that-it-is-possible-to-avoid/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [We are all kitsch on our deathbeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/we-are-all-kitsch-on-our-deathbeds/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [Everything is a meaningless struggle against nothing and when people say that the world has become a better place that is a false development-optimism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/everything-is-a-meaningless-struggle-against-nothing-and-when-people/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [I have no ideals. I have no will that the world should be any better or worse or anything... Because I know that for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/i-have-no-ideals-i-have-no-will-that-the-world-should-be-any-better/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [Kitsch is deep in its superficiality. Art is superficially deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/kitsch-is-deep-in-its-superficiality-art-is-superficially-deep/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [The world somehow is always the same. The only thing that can improve is the individual life. One can live a good life. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/the-world-somehow-is-always-the-same-the-only-thing-that-can-improve/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [The point is that only one thing matters in this world, to prepare oneself for death. One can try to be as comfortable as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/the-point-is-that-only-one-thing-matters-in-this-world-to-prepare/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [A topic is not interesting enough until it is multi layered. There is no vigor in a motive without many layers. One also learns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/a-topic-is-not-interesting-enough-until-it-is-multi-layered-there-is/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [Art is a car, kitsch is a horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/art-is-a-car-kitsch-is-a-horse/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) > [If you fall asleep on horseback, the horse will stop by the rock. Art is a car. Kitsch is a horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odd-nerdrum/if-you-fall-asleep-on-horseback-the-horse-will-stop-by-the-rock-art/) [Odd Nerdrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) [Explore all 21 Odd Nerdrum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odd-nerdrum/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Contemporary art is based on that an artist is supposed to go into art history in the same way as an art historian. 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