--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know I am a human being. I can give…" description: "\"I know I am a human being. I can give myself to one year for a project. That is why I say I'm primitive in the way I work, especially compared to most ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/tehching-hsieh-49543_art_i-know-i-am-a-human-being-i-can-give-mys_486708.jpg" --- # I know I am a human being. I can give myself to one year… ![“I know I am a human being. I can give myself to one year for a project. That is why I say I'm primitive in the way I work, especially compared to most artists. I came to New York in 1974, knowing that it is the art center of the world. But I didn't go to find people for my work. I do the work, and…” quote by Tehching Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/tehching-hsieh-49543_art_i-know-i-am-a-human-being-i-can-give-mys_486708.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/tehching-hsieh-49543_art_i-know-i-am-a-human-being-i-can-give-mys_486708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/tehching-hsieh-49543_art_i-know-i-am-a-human-being-i-can-give-mys_486708.jpg) > “I know I am a human being. I can give myself to one year for a project. That is why I say I'm primitive in the way I work, especially compared to most artists. I came to New York in 1974, knowing that it is the art center of the world. But I didn't go to find people for my work. I do the work, and the people come to me, and I learn from them. That has always been my approach - to do the job first and then to respond to it after I finish and learn what people think about it. That's how I develop, and I'm more of an outsider in that way.” [Tehching Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehching-hsieh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes a solitary, project‑driven work ethic, letting the art speak first and letting audience reaction shape later reflection. **In simple terms:** Work alone, let the art attract people, then learn from their feedback. Key Takeaway Prioritize creation, then seek feedback. Themes artistic process solitude audience interaction learning outsider perspective Mood reflective determined introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - solo projects - long‑term installations - public performances - creative retreats Key Concepts conceptual art performance self‑discipline artist‑audience dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does solitude affect your creative growth? - What can you learn from early audience reactions? A Different Perspective May overlook collaborative benefits and community input. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Outsiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outsiders/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Primitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primitive/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“I hate when people say primitive people didn’t even have running water. What do they call rivers?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-hate-when-people-say-primitive-people-didn-t-even-have-running/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I longed for Mum in the most primitive way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-longed-for-mum-in-the-most-primitive-way/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“There is no such thing as primitive in the way Western education has traditionally conditioned people to perceive it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-cajete/there-is-no-such-thing-as-primitive-in-the-way-western-education-has/) Gregory Cajete > [The science is in knowing; the art in perceiving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fripp/the-science-is-in-knowing-the-art-in-perceiving/) [Robert Fripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fripp/) > [“The Seeker, The Teacher and The Genius: Knowing is an art; communicating that knowledge is art twice over; but it is only the genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-n-prasher/the-seeker-the-teacher-and-the-genius-knowing-is-an-art-communicating/) [R. N. Prasher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-n-prasher/) > [I am for an art that grows up not knowing it is art at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claes-oldenburg/i-am-for-an-art-that-grows-up-not-knowing-it-is-art-at-all/) [Claes Oldenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claes-oldenburg/) > [“Friendship is a combination of art and craft. The craft part is in knowing how to give and how to take. The art part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg-2/friendship-is-a-combination-of-art-and-craft-the-craft-part-is-in/) [E.L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg-2/) > [The human mind cannot go beyond the gift of God, the Holy Ghost. 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And God says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/each-of-us-is-precious-to-god-because-each-of-us-has-their-name/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [“I like men and women who don't fit well in the dominant culture, or, as Alvar de Campos calls them, strangers in this place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabih-alameddine/i-like-men-and-women-who-don-t-fit-well-in-the-dominant-culture-or-as/) [Rabih Alameddine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabih-alameddine/) > [I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-always-that-i-am-an-outsider-a-stranger-in-this-century-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tehching Hsieh > [For me, I make a schedule and I pass the time. I don't think about the transformation. When my schedule says I'm finished on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehching-hsieh/for-me-i-make-a-schedule-and-i-pass-the-time-i-don-t-think-about-the/) [Tehching Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehching-hsieh/) > [I come from a painting background, and although my painting is completely different from my performances, there is something about the fundamentals of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehching-hsieh/i-come-from-a-painting-background-and-although-my-painting-is/) [Tehching Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehching-hsieh/) > [One year to me is just a small section of life. For most humans, one year is a long time and so much happens.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehching-hsieh/one-year-to-me-is-just-a-small-section-of-life-for-most-humans-one/) [Tehching Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehching-hsieh/) > [I quit painting very early. I just jumped ship. 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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. 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