--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Play is a necessary ingredient in art…" description: "\"Play is a necessary ingredient in art because there is a kind of wonder that goes on when you play. You're directing your activity toward a conclusion ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/richard-serra-17058_activity_play-is-a-necessary-ingredient-in-art-be_3031874.jpg" --- # Play is a necessary ingredient in art because there is a… ![“Play is a necessary ingredient in art because there is a kind of wonder that goes on when you play. You're directing your activity toward a conclusion that isn't prescribed by a particular method.” quote by Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/richard-serra-17058_activity_play-is-a-necessary-ingredient-in-art-be_3031874.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/richard-serra-17058_activity_play-is-a-necessary-ingredient-in-art-be_3031874.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9a/richard-serra-17058_activity_play-is-a-necessary-ingredient-in-art-be_3031874.jpg) > “Play is a necessary ingredient in art because there is a kind of wonder that goes on when you play. You're directing your activity toward a conclusion that isn't prescribed by a particular method.” [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Play creates wonder in art, allowing non‑prescribed conclusions. **In simple terms:** Play brings wonder and open‑ended outcomes in art. Key Takeaway Incorporate play into creative work. Themes creativity wonder process Mood inspirational curious Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - workshops - experimental projects - improvisation Key Concepts art theory design thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does play influence your artistic decisions? - When does play become distraction? A Different Perspective Play can be seen as unproductive; balance needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-is/) [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Goes on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-on/) [Goes Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-play-538864/) [Ingredients](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingredients/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/method/) [Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary/) [Necessary Ingredient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-ingredient-453815/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-necessary-4957040/) [Playful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playful/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [Failure is a necessary ingredient for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bran-ferren/failure-is-a-necessary-ingredient-for-success/) [Bran Ferren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bran-ferren/) > [Quality is the one absolutely necessary ingredient of all the most successful companies in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-perdue/quality-is-the-one-absolutely-necessary-ingredient-of-all-the-most/) [Frank Perdue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-perdue/) > [Compassion is the most necessary ingredient in all relationships. Everything depends on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-stanton-hitchcock/compassion-is-the-most-necessary-ingredient-in-all-relationships/) [Jane Stanton Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-stanton-hitchcock/) > [In order to fully realize how bad a popular play can be, it is necessary to see it twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-order-to-fully-realize-how-bad-a-popular-play-can-be-it-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [If all goes well, I can play for many years at Barcelona.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-ter-stegen/if-all-goes-well-i-can-play-for-many-years-at-barcelona/) [Marc-Andre ter Stegen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-ter-stegen/) > [When I was a kid, I would come home from school, throw my bag, go out to play. My daughter comes home from school,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indra-nooyi/when-i-was-a-kid-i-would-come-home-from-school-throw-my-bag-go-out-to/) [Indra Nooyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indra-nooyi/) > [See whatever I say goes. I play like I'm on 'roids, no Canseco.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/see-whatever-i-say-goes-i-play-like-i-m-on-roids-no-canseco/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Don't play the way it goes. Play the way it is. And the way it is every time you play it, it's slightly different.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/itzhak-perlman/don-t-play-the-way-it-goes-play-the-way-it-is-and-the-way-it-is-every/) [Itzhak Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/itzhak-perlman/) > [Patience is a necessary ingredient of genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/patience-is-a-necessary-ingredient-of-genius/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Our mistakes and regrets are not barriers to becoming who we can be; they are a necessary ingredient.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schnarch/our-mistakes-and-regrets-are-not-barriers-to-becoming-who-we-can-be/) [David Schnarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schnarch/) > [“Being able to say, “No,” is a necessary ingredient in a healthy lifestyle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-2/being-able-to-say-no-is-a-necessary-ingredient-in-a-healthy-lifestyle/) [David W. Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-2/) > [Strangeness is an ingredient necessary in beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/strangeness-is-an-ingredient-necessary-in-beauty/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [We are taking steps to fight the production of meth on our own soil through limiting access to precursor ingredients, supporting educational efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-walden/we-are-taking-steps-to-fight-the-production-of-meth-on-our-own-soil/) [Greg Walden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-walden/) > [Strangeness is a necessary ingredient in beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/strangeness-is-a-necessary-ingredient-in-beauty/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [My preference is for people who come to rehearsal and get into the ring. I like a muscular actor who's playful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/my-preference-is-for-people-who-come-to-rehearsal-and-get-into-the/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) ## More by Richard Serra > [If your educe sculpture to the flat plane of the temporal experience of the work. (...) the experience of the work is inseparable from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/if-your-educe-sculpture-to-the-flat-plane-of-the-temporal-experience/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [I think this, I think basically I'm not interested in people following my work or making work like my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/i-think-this-i-think-basically-i-m-not-interested-in-people-following/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [If you reduce sculpture to the flat plane of the photograph, you're passing on only a residue of your concerns... You're not only reducing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/if-you-reduce-sculpture-to-the-flat-plane-of-the-photograph-you-re/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [Your eye is a muscle, you have to keep it in shape and the more you draw, the more you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/your-eye-is-a-muscle-you-have-to-keep-it-in-shape-and-the-more-you/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [The thing about rigging is, you can learn it if you become a master rigger but there's no book on rigging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/the-thing-about-rigging-is-you-can-learn-it-if-you-become-a-master/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [It could be that people want to consume sculpture the way they consume paintings - through photographs... I'm interested in the experience of sculpture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/it-could-be-that-people-want-to-consume-sculpture-the-way-they/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [Work out of your work. Don't work out of anybody else's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/work-out-of-your-work-don-t-work-out-of-anybody-else-s-work/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [Time and movement became really crucial to how I deal with what I deal with, not only sight and boundary but how one walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/time-and-movement-became-really-crucial-to-how-i-deal-with-what-i/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [I consider space to be a material. The articulation of space has come to take precedence over other concerns. I attempt to use sculptural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/i-consider-space-to-be-a-material-the-articulation-of-space-has-come/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [Everything we choose in life for its lightness soon reveals its unbearable weight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/everything-we-choose-in-life-for-its-lightness-soon-reveals-its/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [I think different people have different problems and different relations to the exhibition of their work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/i-think-different-people-have-different-problems-and-different/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [Now when you have administrators deciding what sexuality is, and what's a taboo and what's not in terms of content, you got guys, like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/now-when-you-have-administrators-deciding-what-sexuality-is-and-what/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [I think you always have to find where the boundary is in relation to the context in order to be able to kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/i-think-you-always-have-to-find-where-the-boundary-is-in-relation-to/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [I was in analysis and I told my analyst I wanted to be the best sculptor in the world and he said, 'Richard, calm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/i-was-in-analysis-and-i-told-my-analyst-i-wanted-to-be-the-best/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) > [Basically, what you really want to do is try to engage the viewer's body relation to his thinking and walking and looking, without being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-serra/basically-what-you-really-want-to-do-is-try-to-engage-the-viewer-s/) [Richard Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) [Explore all 38 Richard Serra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-serra/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) [Gero Miesenbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gero-miesenbock/) > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Play is a necessary ingredient in art because there is a kind of wonder that goes on when you play. 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