Absorbing Quote by Romare Bearden
“The artist has to be something like a whale swimming with his mouth wide open, absorbing everything until he has what he really needs.”
About This Quote
The artist must be an all‑absorbing conduit, taking in diverse experiences and knowledge to distill what is essential for creation.
In simple terms: Artists absorb broadly to create meaningfully.
Key Takeaway
Absorption fuels artistic insight.
Themes
creativity
perception
integration
growth
inspiration
Mood
wonder
curiosity
Type
metaphor
philosophical
When to use this quote
- exploring new cultures
- studying history
- immersing in nature
- engaging with other art forms
Key Concepts
learning
synthesis
observation
Practical Applications
- curating interdisciplinary exhibitions
- developing multimedia installations
Questions to Reflect On
- How does selective absorption shape your work?
- What do you discard after absorbing?
![“[The artist] is like a pump; he has inside him a great pipe that reaches down into the entrails of things, the deepest layers. He sucks up what was lying there below, dim and unnoticed, and brings it in great jets to the sunlight.” quote by Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/110/gustave-flaubert-354_art_the-artist-is-like-a-pump-he-has-inside_2105838.jpg)
![“The artist has to be exactly the opposite [of people singing the song, I've gotta be Me,] and transcend himself as he makes judgements.” quote by Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/45a/romare-bearden-23522_art_the-artist-has-to-be-exactly-the-opposit_1645442.jpg)
![“It's hard to pick. I mean, I think the one that is most emblematic of the collaboration that occurred is "We Know The Way." That's the first song we wrote for the movie [Moana]. We actually got it written that weekend in New Zealand, so we're all in New Zealand, we're all absorbing this culture…” quote by Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2ae/lin-manuel-miranda-2352_absorbing_it-s-hard-to-pick-i-mean-i-think-the-one_119053.jpg)
![“I know "accessibility" is a term that's kind of thrown around wantonly today, especially with talking about visual media. But I think that the strength of comics [is how they] really allow you to transcend those last barriers between a reader absorbing the information of an experience, and a…” quote by Nate Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d87/nate-powell-42191_able_i-know-accessibility-is-a-term-that-s-ki_173002.jpg)
