--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thinking of John Cage derived from…" description: "\"The thinking of John Cage derived from Duchamp and Dada. I was not interested in that.\" — Sol LeWitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sol-lewitt-11839_cage_the-thinking-of-john-cage-derived-from-d_1737517.jpg" --- # The thinking of John Cage derived from Duchamp and Dada. I… ![“The thinking of John Cage derived from Duchamp and Dada. I was not interested in that.” quote by Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sol-lewitt-11839_cage_the-thinking-of-john-cage-derived-from-d_1737517.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sol-lewitt-11839_cage_the-thinking-of-john-cage-derived-from-d_1737517.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/sol-lewitt-11839_cage_the-thinking-of-john-cage-derived-from-d_1737517.jpg) > “The thinking of John Cage derived from Duchamp and Dada. I was not interested in that.” [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. LeWitt notes that Cage’s ideas were influenced by Dada and Duchamp, though he personally disengaged from those roots. **In simple terms:** Cage’s thinking came from Dada, but LeWitt wasn’t interested. Key Takeaway Recognize influences but form your own stance. Themes art influence individuality Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - curriculum design - creative workshops - art criticism - personal artistic practice Key Concepts Dadaism conceptual art musical avant‑garde Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance influence with originality? - When is it valuable to reject a predecessor’s ideas? A Different Perspective LeWitt may overstate his disinterest, ignoring deeper connections. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cage/) [Dada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dada/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [John Cage is someone I got into as a visual artist, before I even knew his music. I don't think a lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devendra-banhart/john-cage-is-someone-i-got-into-as-a-visual-artist-before-i-even-knew/) [Devendra Banhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devendra-banhart/) > [“The heating systems composed works in the style of John Cage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/the-heating-systems-composed-works-in-the-style-of-john-cage/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“Ideas are one thing and what happens is another.’ (John Cage)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheppard/ideas-are-one-thing-and-what-happens-is-another-john-cage/) David Sheppard > [Parallels between classical and pop are not new. The whole San Francisco movement of John Cage and Terry Riley went hand in glove with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hazlewood/parallels-between-classical-and-pop-are-not-new-the-whole-san/) [Charles Hazlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hazlewood/) > [I did a twenty foot print and John Cage is involved in that because he was the only person I knew in New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-did-a-twenty-foot-print-and-john-cage-is-involved-in-that-because/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [I think teenagers just don't have the persistence to pretend to like something they don't anymore. I used to do that - make myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradford-cox/i-think-teenagers-just-don-t-have-the-persistence-to-pretend-to-like/) [Bradford Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradford-cox/) > [When I read John Cage's book Silence, I was growing up in Louisville, Kentucky. For me, records were a mode of time travel and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grubbs/when-i-read-john-cage-s-book-silence-i-was-growing-up-in-louisville/) [David Grubbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grubbs/) > [I have this ideal listener, as John Cage did. This listener doesn't bring expectations that my music will fit into some part of music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/i-have-this-ideal-listener-as-john-cage-did-this-listener-doesn-t/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [All really great artists, Jackson Pollack, John Cage, Beckett or Joyce - you are never indifferent to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/all-really-great-artists-jackson-pollack-john-cage-beckett-or-joyce/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I always like to cite John Cage's mantra, "If you can stand it for two-minutes, try it for four." In fact, when I look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-rainer/i-always-like-to-cite-john-cage-s-mantra-if-you-can-stand-it-for-two/) Yvonne Rainer > [We used to have endless discussions with journalists about that: 'Why are you calling it noise? It's not noise, it's music,' and make references…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/we-used-to-have-endless-discussions-with-journalists-about-that-why/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [“Marietta, I do not believe in ghosts, astrology, palmistry, graphology, John Cage, love or God. I do believe in the moment, in the pleasures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/marietta-i-do-not-believe-in-ghosts-astrology-palmistry-graphology/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I grew up mostly in Champaign, Illinois. My dad was at the University of East Illinois, so I was always around the music. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-hamm/i-grew-up-mostly-in-champaign-illinois-my-dad-was-at-the-university/) Stuart Hamm > [I recall improvisational drummer and composer Michael Evans telling me a story of someone who had the opportunity to meet Cage and give him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grubbs/i-recall-improvisational-drummer-and-composer-michael-evans-telling/) [David Grubbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grubbs/) > ['Untitled' is a time machine that can transport you to 1992, an edgy moment when the art world was crumbling, money was scarce, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/untitled-is-a-time-machine-that-can-transport-you-to-1992-an-edgy/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) ## More by Sol LeWitt > [New materials are one of the great afflictions of contemporary art. Some artists confuse new materials with new ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/new-materials-are-one-of-the-great-afflictions-of-contemporary-art/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [The artist is seen like a producer of commodities, like a factory that turns our refrigerators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/the-artist-is-seen-like-a-producer-of-commodities-like-a-factory-that/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [Most ideas that are successful are ludicrously simple. Successful ideas generally have the appearance of simplicity because they seem inevitable. In terms of idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/most-ideas-that-are-successful-are-ludicrously-simple-successful/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [Artists teach critics what to think. Critics repeat what the artists teach them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/artists-teach-critics-what-to-think-critics-repeat-what-the-artists/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [In my case, I used the elements of these simple forms - square, cube, line and color - to produce logical systems. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/in-my-case-i-used-the-elements-of-these-simple-forms-square-cube-line/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [Conceptual art became the liberating idea that gave the art of the next 40 years its real impetus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/conceptual-art-became-the-liberating-idea-that-gave-the-art-of-the/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [The narrative of serial art works more like music than like literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/the-narrative-of-serial-art-works-more-like-music-than-like-literature/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [Just as the development of earth art and installation art stemmed from the idea of taking art out of the galleries, the basis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/just-as-the-development-of-earth-art-and-installation-art-stemmed/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [I didn't want to save art - I respected the older artists too much to think art needed saving. But I knew it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/i-didn-t-want-to-save-art-i-respected-the-older-artists-too-much-to/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [One should be intelligent enough to know when not to be too intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/one-should-be-intelligent-enough-to-know-when-not-to-be-too/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [I wasn't really that interested in objects. I was interested in ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/i-wasn-t-really-that-interested-in-objects-i-was-interested-in-ideas/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [Your work isn't a high stakes, nail-biting professional challenge. It's a form of play. Lighten up and have fun with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/your-work-isn-t-a-high-stakes-nail-biting-professional-challenge-it-s/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [All of the significant art of today stems from Conceptual art. This includes the art of installation, political, feminist and socially directed art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/all-of-the-significant-art-of-today-stems-from-conceptual-art-this/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [A work of art may be understood as a conductor from the artist's mind to the viewer's. But it may never reach the viewer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/a-work-of-art-may-be-understood-as-a-conductor-from-the-artist-s-mind/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [I was not interested in irony; I wanted to emphasize the primacy of the idea in making art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/i-was-not-interested-in-irony-i-wanted-to-emphasize-the-primacy-of/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) [Explore all 57 Sol LeWitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“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 > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [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 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/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thinking of John Cage derived from Duchamp and Dada. 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