--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think when people try to use their art…" description: "\"I think when people try to use their art for political views, I think they're art becomes smaller, less interesting. And so for me, as an artist, I'm t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/sean-lennon-11288_art_i-think-when-people-try-to-use-their-art_2275248.jpg" --- # I think when people try to use their art for political… ![“I think when people try to use their art for political views, I think they're art becomes smaller, less interesting. And so for me, as an artist, I'm trying to speak about things in a universal way and not be pedantic or small-minded and try to convince other people of my political views. But…” quote by Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/sean-lennon-11288_art_i-think-when-people-try-to-use-their-art_2275248.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/sean-lennon-11288_art_i-think-when-people-try-to-use-their-art_2275248.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/sean-lennon-11288_art_i-think-when-people-try-to-use-their-art_2275248.jpg) > “I think when people try to use their art for political views, I think they're art becomes smaller, less interesting. And so for me, as an artist, I'm trying to speak about things in a universal way and not be pedantic or small-minded and try to convince other people of my political views. But having said that, every day I live in sort of complete terror because of what I read in the newspaper and what is going on in the world. I'm constantly, as I think many of us are, overwhelmed by the sort of, mass psychosis that's occurring.” [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art that serves politics can shrink in scope; the artist seeks universal expression while feeling overwhelmed by global turmoil. **In simple terms:** Political art may become limited; aim for broader relevance. Key Takeaway Create universally resonant art despite political climate. Themes art politics universalism media anxiety Mood anxious hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - gallery shows - public installations - social media projects - artist statements Key Concepts aesthetic theory public discourse psychology of fear Questions to Reflect On - How can artists stay true without alienating audiences? - What role does media play in shaping artistic intent? A Different Perspective Political pressure may still influence reception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-is/) [Art Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-political-775609/) [Art Smaller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-smaller-1403459/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Convince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Interesting Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting-artist-333492/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Overwhelmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overwhelmed/) [Pedantic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pedantic/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-view/) [Political views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-views/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Psychosis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychosis/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror/) [Think Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-art/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Some people feel that it's controversial if I say that because my dad is known as a political artist. But I don't really believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/some-people-feel-that-it-s-controversial-if-i-say-that-because-my-dad/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [Art has a smaller audience than, say, movies or other forms of mass consumption. But that doesn't mean the work doesn't have an impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-solondz/art-has-a-smaller-audience-than-say-movies-or-other-forms-of-mass/) [Todd Solondz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-solondz/) > [It's interesting how as an artist you keep evolving, but if you can get into the contemporary art space, if the works are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalup-linzy/it-s-interesting-how-as-an-artist-you-keep-evolving-but-if-you-can/) [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) > [It's very interesting being an artist and a comedian, (because) you aim for jobs that will feed your ego, but when you get up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/it-s-very-interesting-being-an-artist-and-a-comedian-because-you-aim/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [I think the dark psychology of human beings is very interesting as an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/du-yun/i-think-the-dark-psychology-of-human-beings-is-very-interesting-as-an/) [Du Yun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/du-yun/) > [I love Lady Gaga. I think shes a really interesting artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-spears/i-love-lady-gaga-i-think-shes-a-really-interesting-artist/) [Britney Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britney-spears/) > [I listen to new music by composers who are interesting to me. I listen to some; I don't know if I want to call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tod-machover/i-listen-to-new-music-by-composers-who-are-interesting-to-me-i-listen/) [Tod Machover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tod-machover/) > [The thing I try to tell people who are just starting in the business is to listen to yourself, trust yourself, and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/the-thing-i-try-to-tell-people-who-are-just-starting-in-the-business/) [Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/) > [Gradually I saw that it was less interesting for me, as an artist, to frame the world wholly according to my own perceptions. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-ewald/gradually-i-saw-that-it-was-less-interesting-for-me-as-an-artist-to/) [Wendy Ewald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-ewald/) > [The interesting part about being an artist is that the ways in which you express yourself are not always readily available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/the-interesting-part-about-being-an-artist-is-that-the-ways-in-which/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [Art can be political, but when it becomes politicized, the purity is ruined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-loesch/art-can-be-political-but-when-it-becomes-politicized-the-purity-is/) [Dana Loesch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-loesch/) > [“All art is portraiture and all art is political: those are the things that you cannot avoid. When someone sees you in your entirety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/all-art-is-portraiture-and-all-art-is-political-those-are-the-things/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [All good art should be political, I think, and inevitably it all becomes political really, in one way or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-o-connor/all-good-art-should-be-political-i-think-and-inevitably-it-all/) [Josh O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-o-connor/) > [Art as a political gesture is committed to making something beautiful, and then understanding what beauty is in your own time, because what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-steir/art-as-a-political-gesture-is-committed-to-making-something-beautiful/) [Pat Steir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-steir/) > [At the same time, of course, Marxism arose - Rosa Luxembourg, Leninism, anarchism - and art became political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-sirk/at-the-same-time-of-course-marxism-arose-rosa-luxembourg-leninism/) [Douglas Sirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-sirk/) ## More by Sean Lennon > [I have a piano and a guitar, and I tend to switch back and forth between those two instruments to help me get inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-have-a-piano-and-a-guitar-and-i-tend-to-switch-back-and-forth/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [I have a specific set of, I have a specific sort of negative energies to deal with that might be specific to me, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-have-a-specific-set-of-i-have-a-specific-sort-of-negative-energies/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [It would be nice if I was remembered at all. I don't really care about being remembered. I just want to enjoy my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/it-would-be-nice-if-i-was-remembered-at-all-i-don-t-really-care-about/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [For me, songwriting is something that I have to do ritually. I don't just wait for inspiration; I try to write a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-have-to-do-ritually-i-don-t/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [I did a record with a producer, and the good producers eat up the budget, so I didn't have any budget left to produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-did-a-record-with-a-producer-and-the-good-producers-eat-up-the/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [I don't really believe in political art. I feel in my heart the purpose of art transcends cultural and class and politics. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-don-t-really-believe-in-political-art-i-feel-in-my-heart-the/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [I don't like when people dress intentionally ugly. Personally that's not my thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-don-t-like-when-people-dress-intentionally-ugly-personally-that-s/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [I spend my time trying to figure art out. I was brought up to believe that the way one processes information is by making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-spend-my-time-trying-to-figure-art-out-i-was-brought-up-to-believe/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [My father was assassinated by an FBI-CIA connection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/my-father-was-assassinated-by-an-fbi-cia-connection/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [I like songs and film because you can turn your life into a sort of myth or dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-like-songs-and-film-because-you-can-turn-your-life-into-a-sort-of/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [Now, music almost feels naked in my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/now-music-almost-feels-naked-in-my-mind/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [You can't just pay attention to the short term, you just have to keep publishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/you-can-t-just-pay-attention-to-the-short-term-you-just-have-to-keep/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [My tendency is to be very experimental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/my-tendency-is-to-be-very-experimental/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [Wonder Woman was my first love, and now she’s \[Charlotte Kemp Muhl) my last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/wonder-woman-was-my-first-love-and-now-she-s-charlotte-kemp-muhl-my/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [I like music because it's the only invisible art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-like-music-because-it-s-the-only-invisible-art-form/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) [Explore all 60 Sean Lennon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) ## 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": "I think when people try to use their art for political views, I think they're art becomes smaller, less interesting. And so for me, as an artist, I'm trying to speak about things in a universal way and not be pedantic or small-minded and try to convince other people of my political views. But having said that, every day I live in sort of complete terror because of what I read in the newspaper and what is going on in the world. 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