--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Art is about building a new foundation…" description: "\"Art is about building a new foundation, not just laying something on top of what's already there.\" — Prince" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/prince-1626_about_art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-n_2562658.jpg" --- # Art is about building a new foundation, not just laying… ![“Art is about building a new foundation, not just laying something on top of what's already there.” quote by Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/prince-1626_about_art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-n_2562658.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/prince-1626_about_art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-n_2562658.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/prince-1626_about_art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-n_2562658.jpg) > “Art is about building a new foundation, not just laying something on top of what's already there.” [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art should create fresh foundations rather than merely adding to existing structures. **In simple terms:** Create new bases, not just add layers. Key Takeaway Focus on innovation over imitation. Themes creativity innovation artistic vision Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - design projects - urban planning - musical composition - visual arts Key Concepts foundations originality cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure your work builds a truly new base? - What existing structures are you merely covering? A Different Perspective New foundations may still rely on past influences, limiting true originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-building-1619710/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Building New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-new-561486/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-foundation-1619709/) ## Related quotes > [What I wanted to do was to try to create a philosophy upon a completely new foundation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-wilson/what-i-wanted-to-do-was-to-try-to-create-a-philosophy-upon-a/) [Colin Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-wilson/) > [Abba Moses asked Abba Sylvanus, Can a person lay a new foundation every day? The old man replied, If you work hard, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/abba-moses-asked-abba-sylvanus-can-a-person-lay-a-new-foundation/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [We need to rebuild our nation with a new foundation. A foundation rooted in love, and care, and equality. Where justice is truly real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaal-bowman/we-need-to-rebuild-our-nation-with-a-new-foundation-a-foundation/) [Jamaal Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaal-bowman/) > [We began building this incredible new foundation in this restaurant, and that's what began giving me the left-hand side of tradition and the right-hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeril-lagasse/we-began-building-this-incredible-new-foundation-in-this-restaurant/) [Emeril Lagasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeril-lagasse/) > [First let me report that the art in the Barnes Collection has never looked better. My trips to the old Barnes were always amazing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/first-let-me-report-that-the-art-in-the-barnes-collection-has-never/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [What I try to do is the art of building, and the art of building is the art of construction; it is not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-zumthor/what-i-try-to-do-is-the-art-of-building-and-the-art-of-building-is/) [Peter Zumthor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-zumthor/) > [Whenever we witness art in a building, we are aware of an energy contained by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-erickson/whenever-we-witness-art-in-a-building-we-are-aware-of-an-energy/) [Arthur Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-erickson/) > [In the evenings the art of building gave way to that of music, which is architecture, too, though invisible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-yourcenar/in-the-evenings-the-art-of-building-gave-way-to-that-of-music-which/) [Marguerite Yourcenar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-yourcenar/) > [The art of dancing stands at the source of all the arts that express themselves first in the human person. The art of building,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/the-art-of-dancing-stands-at-the-source-of-all-the-arts-that-express/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [“If I was building any new kind of life to live, it really didn't seem that way. It's not as if I had turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/if-i-was-building-any-new-kind-of-life-to-live-it-really-didn-t-seem/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Anybody who is one with what he or she does is building the new earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/anybody-who-is-one-with-what-he-or-she-does-is-building-the-new-earth/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“when you and i are off building something new with someone else”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/when-you-and-i-are-off-building-something-new-with-someone-else/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [I grew up in a house that was constantly under construction. It's been under construction my whole life. My mom loves interior decor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/i-grew-up-in-a-house-that-was-constantly-under-construction-it-s-been/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [No one should expect building a new high-growth, software-powered company in an established industry to be easy. It's brutally difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andreessen/no-one-should-expect-building-a-new-high-growth-software-powered/) [Marc Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andreessen/) > [To rid yourself of old patterns, focus all your energy not on struggling with the old, but on building the new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/to-rid-yourself-of-old-patterns-focus-all-your-energy-not-on/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) ## More by Prince > [Record contracts are just like - I'm gonna say the word, slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/record-contracts-are-just-like-i-m-gonna-say-the-word-slavery/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [Music is music, ultimately. If it makes you feel good, cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/music-is-music-ultimately-if-it-makes-you-feel-good-cool/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [To create something from nothing is one of the greatest feelings, and I would - I don't know, I wish it upon everybody. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/to-create-something-from-nothing-is-one-of-the-greatest-feelings-and/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [Ownership, that's what you give your kids. That's your legacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/ownership-that-s-what-you-give-your-kids-that-s-your-legacy/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [The music industry is a matrix that is counter to what is natural and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/the-music-industry-is-a-matrix-that-is-counter-to-what-is-natural-and/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [Hip-hop is very diverse, but if you only focus on one aspect of it, then what you get is this image of Black America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/hip-hop-is-very-diverse-but-if-you-only-focus-on-one-aspect-of-it/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [It gets embarrassing to say something untrue because you put it online and everyone knows about it, so it's better to tell the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/it-gets-embarrassing-to-say-something-untrue-because-you-put-it/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [Tell me a musician who's got rich off digital sales. Apple's doing pretty good though, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/tell-me-a-musician-who-s-got-rich-off-digital-sales-apple-s-doing/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [If you lend your consciousness to someone else, you're a robot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/if-you-lend-your-consciousness-to-someone-else-you-re-a-robot/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [I don't live in the past. I don't play my old records for that reason. I make a statement, then move on to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/i-don-t-live-in-the-past-i-don-t-play-my-old-records-for-that-reason/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [ Sometimes it \[music in my head\] is a curse, but it's also a blessing. It is a gift that I am completely grateful for.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/sometimes-it-music-in-my-head-is-a-curse-but-it-s-also-a-blessing-it/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [It's a hurtful place, the world, in and of itself. We don't need to add to it. And we're in a place now where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/it-s-a-hurtful-place-the-world-in-and-of-itself-we-don-t-need-to-add/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [If you really want to be a star, we can do it in your Mama's car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/if-you-really-want-to-be-a-star-we-can-do-it-in-your-mama-s-car/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [ Our \[generation\] people have the worst diet of anybody. I'm ready to put a farmer on my payroll. We've got to get back to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/our-generation-people-have-the-worst-diet-of-anybody-i-m-ready-to-put/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [We're living in a system that the devil designed, and suffering from this devil's most heinous crime. He's tried to keep us from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/we-re-living-in-a-system-that-the-devil-designed-and-suffering-from/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) [Explore all 221 Prince quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Art is about building a new foundation, not just laying something on top of what's already there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Prince" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-not-just-laying-something-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-not-just-laying-something-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/prince-1626_about_art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-n_2562658.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/prince-1626_about_art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-n_2562658.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c6/prince-1626_about_art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-n_2562658.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Art is about building a new foundation, not just laying something on top of what's already there.” — Prince", "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": "Prince", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Art is about building a new...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-not-just-laying-something-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/art-is-about-building-a-new-foundation-not-just-laying-something-on/#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 } } ] } ```