--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The meaning of an artwork is changing…" description: "\"The meaning of an artwork is changing depending on who's looking at it - depending on what culture, depending on what time, and so forth. It's alive.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fa/sarah-morris-42432_alive_the-meaning-of-an-artwork-is-changing-de_729313.jpg" --- # The meaning of an artwork is changing depending on who's… ![“The meaning of an artwork is changing depending on who's looking at it - depending on what culture, depending on what time, and so forth. It's alive.” quote by Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fa/sarah-morris-42432_alive_the-meaning-of-an-artwork-is-changing-de_729313.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fa/sarah-morris-42432_alive_the-meaning-of-an-artwork-is-changing-de_729313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fa/sarah-morris-42432_alive_the-meaning-of-an-artwork-is-changing-de_729313.jpg) > “The meaning of an artwork is changing depending on who's looking at it - depending on what culture, depending on what time, and so forth. It's alive.” [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art’s meaning shifts with viewers’ cultural, temporal, and personal contexts, making it a living, evolving entity. **In simple terms:** Art changes meaning based on viewer and context. Key Takeaway Consider audience perspective when interpreting art. Themes interpretation culture time subjectivity Mood contemplative curious analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - museum tours - art education - curatorial practice - personal reflection Key Concepts aesthetics relativism semiotics Questions to Reflect On - What influences your perception of art? - How does culture shape interpretation? A Different Perspective Audience bias can limit openness to new meanings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artwork/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The seed of your next artwork lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/the-seed-of-your-next-artwork-lies-embedded-in-the-imperfections-of/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [I think that artworks are like these spiritual objects: I think that they have energies and powers beyond what the eye can see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-colen/i-think-that-artworks-are-like-these-spiritual-objects-i-think-that/) [Dan Colen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-colen/) > [I was always creative with the artwork. Always creative with the visuals. That's what made me standout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redman/i-was-always-creative-with-the-artwork-always-creative-with-the/) [Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redman/) > [I like using LEGO bricks as a medium because I enjoy seeing people’s reaction to artwork created from something with which they are familiar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-sawaya/i-like-using-lego-bricks-as-a-medium-because-i-enjoy-seeing-people-s/) [Nathan Sawaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-sawaya/) > [I always hope that the artwork will complement and enrich a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-paul-weston/i-always-hope-that-the-artwork-will-complement-and-enrich-a-story/) [Robert Paul Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-paul-weston/) > [I always believed that my work should be unfinished in the sense that I encourage people to add their creativity to it, either conceptually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-always-believed-that-my-work-should-be-unfinished-in-the-sense-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Any artwork is part of something larger, grander and, you know, the situation that it's in is very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/any-artwork-is-part-of-something-larger-grander-and-you-know-the/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [A Grand Design we couldn't see because we were part of it. A Grand Design we only got occasional, fleeting glimpses of. A Grand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-willis/a-grand-design-we-couldn-t-see-because-we-were-part-of-it-a-grand/) [Connie Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-willis/) > [With the 'Watchmen' comic, we attempted to tell it in an accessible way. I deliberately made the artwork very clear, deceptively so. You think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/with-the-watchmen-comic-we-attempted-to-tell-it-in-an-accessible-way/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [I have to speak for myself. As far as videos go - casting, the artwork, everything - I'm completely hands-on. You have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink/i-have-to-speak-for-myself-as-far-as-videos-go-casting-the-artwork/) [Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink/) > [I'm still trying to discover my position on my own artwork and hopefully at this exhibition someone will come and tell me. I'm open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-coxon/i-m-still-trying-to-discover-my-position-on-my-own-artwork-and/) [Graham Coxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-coxon/) > [The seed of your next artwork lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece. Such imperfections are your guides - valuable, objective, non-judgmental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/the-seed-of-your-next-artwork-lies-embedded-in-the-imperfections-of-2/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [The boundaries between contemporary art and cinema are so rigid. It's unbelievable. The film critics don't know my artwork and the art world doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/the-boundaries-between-contemporary-art-and-cinema-are-so-rigid-it-s/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [CD's are amazing because you get the artwork, you get to look at the lyrics, you get to look at the behind-the-scenes photos or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/cd-s-are-amazing-because-you-get-the-artwork-you-get-to-look-at-the/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [I guess if you take yourself seriously as an artist there starts either the problem or the beauty of doing good artwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-griffith/i-guess-if-you-take-yourself-seriously-as-an-artist-there-starts/) [Bill Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-griffith/) ## More by Sarah Morris > [I think the films and the paintings erase each other. The paintings are extremely slow and constantly going on in the studio - they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morris/i-think-the-films-and-the-paintings-erase-each-other-the-paintings/) [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) > [It's always an interesting thing that happens between an artist and their work. People collapse the two, and for any artist, there will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morris/it-s-always-an-interesting-thing-that-happens-between-an-artist-and/) [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) > [Of course, art in and of itself gives me some feeling of elation or power and is in some way curative. But actually what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morris/of-course-art-in-and-of-itself-gives-me-some-feeling-of-elation-or/) [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) > [That's what I mean by this sense of erasure. You're inside some event or spectacle and you know you're complicit in it, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morris/that-s-what-i-mean-by-this-sense-of-erasure-you-re-inside-some-event/) [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) > [With the films, it starts off with certain coordinates in the world and seeing what happens. What happens if you place yourself at an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morris/with-the-films-it-starts-off-with-certain-coordinates-in-the-world/) [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) > [I think that people tend to look at the paintings as being resolved or finite. But, to me, a painting can be an index…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morris/i-think-that-people-tend-to-look-at-the-paintings-as-being-resolved/) [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) > [I had a big fight about how to make something come into the real, to make it physical. It sounds really antique, but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morris/i-had-a-big-fight-about-how-to-make-something-come-into-the-real-to/) [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) > [You can't create a work without being aware that it will change dependent upon the context or the society where it is developed or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morris/you-can-t-create-a-work-without-being-aware-that-it-will-change/) [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) > [Moving swiftly between different arenas like politics, architecture or commercial design is what I would consider defintive of my generation. I am looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morris/moving-swiftly-between-different-arenas-like-politics-architecture-or/) [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) [Explore all 10 Sarah Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The meaning of an artwork is changing depending on who's looking at it - depending on what culture, depending on what time, and so forth. 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