--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Black art has always existed. It just…" description: "\"Black art has always existed. It just hasn't been looked for in the right places.\" — Romare Bearden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/romare-bearden-23522_art_black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-has_2191333.jpg" --- # Black art has always existed. It just hasn't been looked… ![“Black art has always existed. It just hasn't been looked for in the right places.” quote by Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/romare-bearden-23522_art_black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-has_2191333.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/romare-bearden-23522_art_black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-has_2191333.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/romare-bearden-23522_art_black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-has_2191333.jpg) > “Black art has always existed. It just hasn't been looked for in the right places.” [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Black artistic expression exists but is often overlooked due to limited exposure. **In simple terms:** Black art is present, just not always seen. Key Takeaway Explore diverse artistic venues. Themes culture visibility art history Mood educational inspirational Type observational critical When to use this quote - galleries - community events - educational curricula Key Concepts representation cultural heritage discovery Questions to Reflect On - Where can you find under‑represented art? - How does exposure change perception? A Different Perspective Systemic bias can hide valuable art. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Black art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-art/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [My position is that serious and good art has always existed to help, to serve, humanity. Not to indict. I don't see how art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/my-position-is-that-serious-and-good-art-has-always-existed-to-help/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“She hasn't looked happy in so long, but she looks especially not happy with me now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/she-hasn-t-looked-happy-in-so-long-but-she-looks-especially-not-happy/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) > [Anyone who thinks there's safety in numbers hasn't looked at the stock market pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-peter/anyone-who-thinks-there-s-safety-in-numbers-hasn-t-looked-at-the/) [Irene Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-peter/) > [My position is that serious and good art has always existed to help, to serve, humanity. Not to indict. I don’t see how art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/my-position-is-that-serious-and-good-art-has-always-existed-to-help-2/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I enjoyed cross-country road trips. And I found the work challenging because it was art that existed on the land rather than mere concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-dwan/i-enjoyed-cross-country-road-trips-and-i-found-the-work-challenging/) [Virginia Dwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-dwan/) > [Public art existed all along, but ecological art just naturally grew out of my thinking and writings in that area for years. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-denes/public-art-existed-all-along-but-ecological-art-just-naturally-grew/) [Agnes Denes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-denes/) > [“The art of filmmaking is the most influential form of art that has ever existed throughout the history of human artistic endeavors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-art-of-filmmaking-is-the-most-influential-form-of-art-that-has/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Serious and good art has always existed to help, to serve, humanity. Not to indict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/serious-and-good-art-has-always-existed-to-help-to-serve-humanity-not/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We talk too much of black art when we should be talking about art, just art. Black composers must be free to write rondos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/we-talk-too-much-of-black-art-when-we-should-be-talking-about-art/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [The art of publicity is a black art; but it has come to stay, and every year adds to its potency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-art-of-publicity-is-a-black-art-but-it-has-come-to-stay-and-every/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love to go out in late September among the fat, overripe, icy, black blackberries to eat blackberries for breakfast, the stalks very prickly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galway-kinnell/i-love-to-go-out-in-late-september-among-the-fat-overripe-icy-black/) [Galway Kinnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galway-kinnell/) > [“The essential element in the black art of obscurantism is not that it wants to darken individual understanding, but that it wants to blacken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-essential-element-in-the-black-art-of-obscurantism-is-not-that-it/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Considering the current sad state of our computer programs, software development is clearly still a black art, and cannot yet be called an engineering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/considering-the-current-sad-state-of-our-computer-programs-software/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The art of publicity is a black art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/the-art-of-publicity-is-a-black-art/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) ## More 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.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/the-artist-has-to-be-something-like-a-whale-swimming-with-his-mouth/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [It was not my aim to paint about the Negro in America in terms of propaganda. It is to depict the life of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/it-was-not-my-aim-to-paint-about-the-negro-in-america-in-terms-of/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [My purpose is to paint the life of my people as I know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/my-purpose-is-to-paint-the-life-of-my-people-as-i-know-it/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [The most difficult object in painting is yourself because you're always at issue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/the-most-difficult-object-in-painting-is-yourself-because-you-re/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [The function of the artist is to organize the facets of life according to his imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/the-function-of-the-artist-is-to-organize-the-facets-of-life/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [Art is the soul of a people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/art-is-the-soul-of-a-people/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [The essence of art is to recapturel the fantasy and the imagination of a child again, but without the innocence of a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/the-essence-of-art-is-to-recapturel-the-fantasy-and-the-imagination/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [Painting is a self-disciplined activity that you have to learn by yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/painting-is-a-self-disciplined-activity-that-you-have-to-learn-by/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [If you're any kind of artist, you make a miraculous journey, and you come back and make some statements in shapes and colors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/if-you-re-any-kind-of-artist-you-make-a-miraculous-journey-and-you/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [But no one, when you stop to think, has ever equated abstract expressionism as a movement with jazz music. It's based on improvisation. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/but-no-one-when-you-stop-to-think-has-ever-equated-abstract/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [Memory embellishes Life. Forgetfulness makes it possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/memory-embellishes-life-forgetfulness-makes-it-possible/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [ 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. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/the-artist-has-to-be-exactly-the-opposite-of-people-singing-the-song/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [Practically all great artists accept the influence of others. But... the artist with vision sees his material, chooses, changes, and by integrating what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/practically-all-great-artists-accept-the-influence-of-others-but-the/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [You don't paint what you see, you paint what you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/you-don-t-paint-what-you-see-you-paint-what-you-feel/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [Painting is the act of discovery and you're constantly enlarging your horizon or finding yourself every time you paint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/painting-is-the-act-of-discovery-and-you-re-constantly-enlarging-your/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) [Explore all 25 Romare Bearden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) ## 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": "Black art has always existed. It just hasn't been looked for in the right places.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Romare Bearden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-hasn-t-been-looked-for-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-hasn-t-been-looked-for-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/romare-bearden-23522_art_black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-has_2191333.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/romare-bearden-23522_art_black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-has_2191333.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/romare-bearden-23522_art_black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-has_2191333.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Black art has always existed. It just hasn't been looked for in the right places.” — Romare Bearden", "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": "Romare Bearden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Black art has always existed. It...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-hasn-t-been-looked-for-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/black-art-has-always-existed-it-just-hasn-t-been-looked-for-in-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 } } ] } ```