--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No, my work does not reflect my sexual…" description: "\"No, my work does not reflect my sexual preferences, it reflects the fact that I feel total freedom as an artist.\" — Patti Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/patti-smith-394_art_no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-pr_2255338.jpg" --- # No, my work does not reflect my sexual preferences, it… ![“No, my work does not reflect my sexual preferences, it reflects the fact that I feel total freedom as an artist.” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/patti-smith-394_art_no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-pr_2255338.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/patti-smith-394_art_no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-pr_2255338.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/patti-smith-394_art_no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-pr_2255338.jpg) > “No, my work does not reflect my sexual preferences, it reflects the fact that I feel total freedom as an artist.” [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker separates artistic expression from personal sexual identity, emphasizing freedom in creation. **In simple terms:** Art reflects freedom, not sexual preference. Key Takeaway Create without self‑censorship. Themes artistic freedom identity self‑expression Mood defiant confident Type statement philosophical When to use this quote - painting - music - writing - performance art - public speaking Key Concepts gender creativity authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How does personal identity influence your work? - Can art be truly free of personal context? A Different Perspective May be misinterpreted as dismissing the relevance of personal identity in art. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Preference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preference/) ## Related quotes > [It's important for a couple to talk about their sexual preferences. On the other hand, the aura of the mysterious should be preserved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/volkmar-sigusch/it-s-important-for-a-couple-to-talk-about-their-sexual-preferences-on/) [Volkmar Sigusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/volkmar-sigusch/) > [God knows, as a minority, gay people have taken serious lumps for their sexual preferences. As has every minority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/god-knows-as-a-minority-gay-people-have-taken-serious-lumps-for-their/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [We're making far too big a deal out of our sexual preferences. It's just another form of narcissism, and I think it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cohen/we-re-making-far-too-big-a-deal-out-of-our-sexual-preferences-it-s/) [Andrew Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cohen/) > [There's such a freedom about being an artist... You're not accountable - you're this renegade thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-parker/there-s-such-a-freedom-about-being-an-artist-you-re-not-accountable/) [Cornelia Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-parker/) > [The freedom of every artist is essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/the-freedom-of-every-artist-is-essential/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [“Yet the freedom of the artist, the pure beauty of nature, and the liberty of each of us to live our lives as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabazius-x/yet-the-freedom-of-the-artist-the-pure-beauty-of-nature-and-the/) Sabazius X° > [I've just always been creative and my mom gave me the freedom to be an artist ever since I was young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doechii/i-ve-just-always-been-creative-and-my-mom-gave-me-the-freedom-to-be/) [Doechii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doechii/) > [Dogmatism of all kinds--scientific, economic, moral, as well as political--are threatened by the creative freedom of the artist. This is necessarily and inevitably so.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/dogmatism-of-all-kinds-scientific-economic-moral-as-well-as-political/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [I hope my work has inspired young artists. I have always tried to maintain my freedom as an artist and I feel it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-frazetta/i-hope-my-work-has-inspired-young-artists-i-have-always-tried-to/) [Frank Frazetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-frazetta/) > [I don't believe in total freedom for the artist. Left on his own, free to do anything he likes, the artist ends up doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-don-t-believe-in-total-freedom-for-the-artist-left-on-his-own-free/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [There are only two kinds of freedom in the world; the freedom of the rich and powerful, and the freedom of the artist and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/there-are-only-two-kinds-of-freedom-in-the-world-the-freedom-of-the/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [“If you are that much of a control freak, what sexual preferences does that translate into?” “I hope I’ll never know. I suppose you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/if-you-are-that-much-of-a-control-freak-what-sexual-preferences-does/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“David Buss has amassed a lot of evidence that human females across many cultures tend to prefer males who have high social status, good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-miller/david-buss-has-amassed-a-lot-of-evidence-that-human-females-across/) [Geoffrey Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-miller/) > [“I think that people's sexual preferences are a legitimate subject for humour, dirty humour if at all possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-think-that-people-s-sexual-preferences-are-a-legitimate-subject-for/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [God tells us not to judge one another, no matter what anyone's sexual preferences are or if they're black, brown or purple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/god-tells-us-not-to-judge-one-another-no-matter-what-anyone-s-sexual/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) ## More by Patti Smith > [I had a really happy childhood - my siblings were great, my mother was very fanciful, and I loved to read. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-a-really-happy-childhood-my-siblings-were-great-my-mother-was/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [ Sometimes \[people\] seem to think I came out of the womb, you know, cursing, with an electric guitar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/sometimes-people-seem-to-think-i-came-out-of-the-womb-you-know/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“Inside it he inscribed a few lines of poetry, portraying us as the gypsy and the fool, one creating silence; one listening closely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/inside-it-he-inscribed-a-few-lines-of-poetry-portraying-us-as-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Who can know the heart of youth but youth itself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/who-can-know-the-heart-of-youth-but-youth-itself/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“I clawed through a thick web of the culture’s consciousness that I hadn’t known existed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-clawed-through-a-thick-web-of-the-culture-s-consciousness-that-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Ultimately, we are not seeking others to bow to, but to reinforce our individual natures, to help us suffer our own choices, to guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/ultimately-we-are-not-seeking-others-to-bow-to-but-to-reinforce-our/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [If I'm taking a picture of Brancusi's grave, I know that there's something of him, of his mortal remains, beneath my feet, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/if-i-m-taking-a-picture-of-brancusi-s-grave-i-know-that-there-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm certain, as we filled down the great staircase, that I appeared the same as ever, a moping twelve years-old, all arms and legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-certain-as-we-filled-down-the-great-staircase-that-i-appeared-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/in-art-and-dream-may-you-proceed-with-abandon-in-life-may-you-proceed/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [New York is the thing that seduced me. New York is the thing that formed me. New York is the thing that deformed me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/new-york-is-the-thing-that-seduced-me-new-york-is-the-thing-that/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I don't wanna be equal with anybody. I wanna be above equal. I don't think most people are equal to me. I'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-don-t-wanna-be-equal-with-anybody-i-wanna-be-above-equal-i-don-t/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-think-i-m-constantly-in-a-state-of-adjustment/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Somehow I started introducing writing into my drawings, and after a time, the language took over and I started getting very involved with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/somehow-i-started-introducing-writing-into-my-drawings-and-after-a/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm okay with roaming around the world in my bunk for days on end. Maybe every third day I'll get a shower or stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-okay-with-roaming-around-the-world-in-my-bunk-for-days-on-end/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) [Explore all 595 Patti Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## 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": "No, my work does not reflect my sexual preferences, it reflects the fact that I feel total freedom as an artist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patti Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-preferences-it-reflects-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-preferences-it-reflects-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/patti-smith-394_art_no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-pr_2255338.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/patti-smith-394_art_no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-pr_2255338.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/patti-smith-394_art_no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-pr_2255338.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No, my work does not reflect my sexual preferences, it reflects the fact that I feel total freedom as an…” — Patti Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Patti Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No, my work does not reflect...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-preferences-it-reflects-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/no-my-work-does-not-reflect-my-sexual-preferences-it-reflects-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```