--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The artist creates the material that we…" description: "\"The artist creates the material that we look back upon as part of history.\" — Roy DeCarava" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/roy-decarava-35963_art_the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we_2592766.png" --- # The artist creates the material that we look back upon as… ![“The artist creates the material that we look back upon as part of history.” quote by Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/roy-decarava-35963_art_the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we_2592766.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/roy-decarava-35963_art_the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we_2592766.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/roy-decarava-35963_art_the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we_2592766.png) > “The artist creates the material that we look back upon as part of history.” [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist shapes objects that later become historical memory for society. **In simple terms:** Artists make things that become history. Key Takeaway Recognize the lasting impact of creative work. Themes art history legacy memory culture Mood reflective thoughtful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - museum curation - public monuments - archival preservation - educational curricula Key Concepts material culture collective memory creative responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How does your work influence future narratives? - What responsibilities do creators have to history? A Different Perspective Historical significance can be reinterpreted over time, altering perceived value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artist Creates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist-creates-531995/) [Creates Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creates-material-1875257/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Look History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-history-823890/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material/) [Material Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-look-1875258/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) ## Related quotes > [In memory each of us is an artist: each of us creates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-hampl/in-memory-each-of-us-is-an-artist-each-of-us-creates/) [Patricia Hampl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-hampl/) > [When a real artist creates something, it has to be a necessity, the only way he can say something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/when-a-real-artist-creates-something-it-has-to-be-a-necessity-the/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [Every artist is in everything he creates, and indeed if the truth is told, every person is in his life, in his work, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/every-artist-is-in-everything-he-creates-and-indeed-if-the-truth-is/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [If people really stopped and realized how much art and creative people move the world versus politics and religion, I mean it’s not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/if-people-really-stopped-and-realized-how-much-art-and-creative/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [“Thanks for your encouraging words. But I know the grim realities of being an artist. Most of us would never make a mark in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhaidev/thanks-for-your-encouraging-words-but-i-know-the-grim-realities-of/) [Abhaidev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhaidev/) > [Every artist creates with open eyes what she sees in her dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/every-artist-creates-with-open-eyes-what-she-sees-in-her-dream/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) > [With the most primitive means the artist creates something which the most ingenious and efficient technology will never be able to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazimir-malevich/with-the-most-primitive-means-the-artist-creates-something-which-the/) [Kazimir Malevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazimir-malevich/) > [It is in front of the the paper that the artist creates himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-phane-mallarm/it-is-in-front-of-the-the-paper-that-the-artist-creates-himself/) [Stephane Mallarme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-phane-mallarm/) > [“It takes two to make a work of art: the artist and those for whom he creates; and no artist of any significance has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-craven/it-takes-two-to-make-a-work-of-art-the-artist-and-those-for-whom-he/) [Thomas Craven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-craven/) > [“Shadow is an intelligent artist; it creates its works in places where there are already great beauties!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/shadow-is-an-intelligent-artist-it-creates-its-works-in-places-where/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [My words, my writing, my actions—these have never been for myself alone, either directly or indirectly. There is no such thing as an artist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramoedya-ananta-toer/my-words-my-writing-my-actions-these-have-never-been-for-myself-alone/) [Pramoedya Ananta Toer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramoedya-ananta-toer/) > [“A true artist creates art because they have a passion and desire to do so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rae-vasquez/a-true-artist-creates-art-because-they-have-a-passion-and-desire-to/) [Anne-Rae Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rae-vasquez/) > [That is, an artist who creates lots of work probably experiences prolific days and slower days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-sainte-marie/that-is-an-artist-who-creates-lots-of-work-probably-experiences/) [Buffy Sainte-Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buffy-sainte-marie/) > [If you look at my history, I'm not gonna let that many people into whatever I'm going through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kim/if-you-look-at-my-history-i-m-not-gonna-let-that-many-people-into/) [Andy Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kim/) > [I think that one of the ways that Americans will come to want to look at history is by looking at their own families'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-logan-alexander/i-think-that-one-of-the-ways-that-americans-will-come-to-want-to-look/) [Adele Logan Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-logan-alexander/) ## More by Roy DeCarava > [There were no black images of dignity, no images of beautiful black people. There was this big hole. I tried to fill it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/there-were-no-black-images-of-dignity-no-images-of-beautiful-black/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [My photographs are subjective and personal-they’r e intended to be accessible, to relate to people’s lives... People-their well-being and survival-are the crux of what’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/my-photographs-are-subjective-and-personal-they-r-e-intended-to-be/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [I don't really think that the technique really determines the veracity of the image. It's what the image does to the viewer that determines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/i-don-t-really-think-that-the-technique-really-determines-the/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [The artist is a kind of a seer and by nature he is optimistic because he believes in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/the-artist-is-a-kind-of-a-seer-and-by-nature-he-is-optimistic-because/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [You should be able to look at me and see my work. You should be able to look at my work and see me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/you-should-be-able-to-look-at-me-and-see-my-work-you-should-be-able/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [It's the not the subject that interests me as much as my perception of the subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/it-s-the-not-the-subject-that-interests-me-as-much-as-my-perception/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [Seeing your work on the wall is like the ultimate thing that can happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/seeing-your-work-on-the-wall-is-like-the-ultimate-thing-that-can/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [I try to photograph things that are near to me because I work best among things I know. I'm not concerned with startling anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/i-try-to-photograph-things-that-are-near-to-me-because-i-work-best/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [But if it's true it's beautiful. Truth is beautiful. And so my whole work is about what amounts to a reverence for life itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/but-if-it-s-true-it-s-beautiful-truth-is-beautiful-and-so-my-whole/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [Artists are a very important part of our society because they make a great contribution to our values. The artist creates a value system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/artists-are-a-very-important-part-of-our-society-because-they-make-a/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [For me, photography must be visual, rather than intellectual and ideological.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/for-me-photography-must-be-visual-rather-than-intellectual-and/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [A photograph is a photograph, a picture, an image, an illusion complete within itself, depending neither on words, reproductive processes or anything else for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/a-photograph-is-a-photograph-a-picture-an-image-an-illusion-complete/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) [Explore all 13 Roy DeCarava quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "The artist creates the material that we look back upon as part of history.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roy DeCarava" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we-look-back-upon-as-part-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we-look-back-upon-as-part-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/roy-decarava-35963_art_the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we_2592766.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/roy-decarava-35963_art_the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we_2592766.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/roy-decarava-35963_art_the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we_2592766.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The artist creates the material that we look back upon as part of history.” — Roy DeCarava", "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": "Roy DeCarava", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The artist creates the material that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we-look-back-upon-as-part-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/the-artist-creates-the-material-that-we-look-back-upon-as-part-of/#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 } } ] } ```