--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On many days my primary artistic struggle…" description: "\"On many days my primary artistic struggle is, in fact, photography because it is harder to do good work with that. I see myself as an observer of the w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/teju-cole-2851_art_on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggl_436456.png" --- # On many days my primary artistic struggle is, in fact… ![“On many days my primary artistic struggle is, in fact, photography because it is harder to do good work with that. I see myself as an observer of the world who has a strong drive to testify, which I can do because I have the privilege of living in New York with enough food to eat and shelter.” quote by Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/teju-cole-2851_art_on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggl_436456.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/teju-cole-2851_art_on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggl_436456.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/teju-cole-2851_art_on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggl_436456.png) > “On many days my primary artistic struggle is, in fact, photography because it is harder to do good work with that. I see myself as an observer of the world who has a strong drive to testify, which I can do because I have the privilege of living in New York with enough food to eat and shelter.” [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author feels that photography is his biggest artistic challenge, yet he recognizes his privilege in New York that enables him to observe and document life. **In simple terms:** Photography is tough, but his New York life helps him witness and share stories. Key Takeaway Leverage privilege to create meaningful work. Themes art photography privilege observation testimony Mood reflective grateful critical Type personal observational When to use this quote - journalism - personal projects - exhibitions - community outreach Key Concepts social documentary visual storytelling urban life Questions to Reflect On - How does your environment shape your artistic voice? - What responsibilities come with such privilege? A Different Perspective Privilege can blind one to broader struggles, limiting perspective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic/) [Drive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drive/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shelter/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I've already spent a lot of my life doing what makes me go. There's a life out there while I'm still young, able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-ve-already-spent-a-lot-of-my-life-doing-what-makes-me-go-there-s-a/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [I do struggle with the fact that I don't have all the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-may/i-do-struggle-with-the-fact-that-i-don-t-have-all-the-answers/) [Mike May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-may/) > [It is okay to be at a place of struggle. Struggle is just another word for growth. Even the most evolved beings find themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-okay-to-be-at-a-place-of-struggle-struggle-is-just-another-word/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It’s not always a bad thing to struggle. In fact, if you want to find the church alive, you look at places of struggle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/it-s-not-always-a-bad-thing-to-struggle-in-fact-if-you-want-to-find/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I testify that He loves each of us—insecurities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/i-testify-that-no-one-of-us-is-less-treasured-or-cherished-of-god/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Wherever you live on this earth, and whatever your life's situation may be, I testify to you that the gospel of Jesus Christ has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/wherever-you-live-on-this-earth-and-whatever-your-life-s-situation/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [As a vital link in the conversion process, we should bear our testimonies that the gospel is true; our testimonies may well be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/as-a-vital-link-in-the-conversion-process-we-should-bear-our/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [“I testify that when we do all we can to accomplish the work that is before us, the Lord will make available to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/i-testify-that-when-we-do-all-we-can-to-accomplish-the-work-that-is/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [I think anybody that's worked hard and has built something and has been successful can testify to how, you know, how wonderful that was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-think-anybody-that-s-worked-hard-and-has-built-something-and-has/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [We were right about the slush fund. But Sloan did not testify about it to the Grand Jury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bradlee/we-were-right-about-the-slush-fund-but-sloan-did-not-testify-about-it/) [Ben Bradlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bradlee/) > [“BASTARD, the voice screamed in my mind. That f\*cking bastard! He knows what he did to me! He knows what he took, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-ashley/bastard-the-voice-screamed-in-my-mind-that-f-cking-bastard-he-knows/) [Katie Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-ashley/) > [I went through a phase of buying a lot of masks, as anyone who has been to a party at the house will testify.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-nutini/i-went-through-a-phase-of-buying-a-lot-of-masks-as-anyone-who-has/) [Paolo Nutini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-nutini/) > [“In that case, the truck driver took the stand, swore to tell the truth, then lied for three hours. He said Gretchen crossed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/in-that-case-the-truck-driver-took-the-stand-swore-to-tell-the-truth/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [Presidents routinely testify in criminal cases. You know, George W. Bush did it with Valerie Plame. Bill Clinton did it three times with Ken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-katyal/presidents-routinely-testify-in-criminal-cases-you-know-george-w-bush/) [Neal Katyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-katyal/) > [Every demonstration of God's faithfulness to us is an opportunity for us to testify of Him to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/every-demonstration-of-god-s-faithfulness-to-us-is-an-opportunity-for/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) ## More by Teju Cole > [One of the difficulties of photography is that it is much better at being explicit than at being reticent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/one-of-the-difficulties-of-photography-is-that-it-is-much-better-at/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [Note-taking is important to me: a week's worth of reading notes (or "thoughts I had in the shower" notes) is cumulatively more interesting than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/note-taking-is-important-to-me-a-week-s-worth-of-reading-notes-or/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [It's an Obama book, certainly. I was delighted, and astonished, to hear recently that he was reading it. It's a book about a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/it-s-an-obama-book-certainly-i-was-delighted-and-astonished-to-hear/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [Because I'm an art historian, I have some experience of writing that comes out of close attention. That's what really art history is. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/because-i-m-an-art-historian-i-have-some-experience-of-writing-that/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [For purposes of marketing, writers are designated as poets, novelists, or something else. But writing is about matchmaking, an attempt to marry sensations with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/for-purposes-of-marketing-writers-are-designated-as-poets-novelists/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [“Most of the people around me yesterday were middle-aged or old. I am used to it, but it never ceases to surprise me how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/most-of-the-people-around-me-yesterday-were-middle-aged-or-old-i-am/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [“I look at his hands. In those hands is new knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/i-look-at-his-hands-in-those-hands-is-new-knowledge/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [“The mind roams more widely in the dark than it does in light. It is no surprise, then, stepping out of the unlit house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/the-mind-roams-more-widely-in-the-dark-than-it-does-in-light-it-is-no/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [“Each person must, on some level, take himself as the calibration point for normalcy, must assume that the room of his own mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/each-person-must-on-some-level-take-himself-as-the-calibration-point/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [Writing as writing. Writing as rioting. Writing as righting. On the best days, all three.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/writing-as-writing-writing-as-rioting-writing-as-righting-on-the-best/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [“The site was a palimpsest, as was all the city, written, erased, rewritten...Generations rushed through the eye of the needle, and I, one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/the-site-was-a-palimpsest-as-was-all-the-city-written-erased/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [“As I contemplated the silent world before me, I thought of the many romantic ideas attached to blindness. Ideas of unusual sensitivity and genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/as-i-contemplated-the-silent-world-before-me-i-thought-of-the-many/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [Always say 'no pun intended' to draw attention to the intended pun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/always-say-no-pun-intended-to-draw-attention-to-the-intended-pun/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [In a sense, Open City is a kind of Wunderkammer, one of those little rooms assembled with bric-a-brac by Renaissance scholars. I don't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/in-a-sense-open-city-is-a-kind-of-wunderkammer-one-of-those-little/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [One of the chief characteristics of a mob is its quickness. It is sudden. It pounces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/one-of-the-chief-characteristics-of-a-mob-is-its-quickness-it-is/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) [Explore all 146 Teju Cole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) ## 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 > [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": "On many days my primary artistic struggle is, in fact, photography because it is harder to do good work with that. I see myself as an observer of the world who has a strong drive to testify, which I can do because I have the privilege of living in New York with enough food to eat and shelter.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Teju Cole" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggle-is-in-fact-photography/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggle-is-in-fact-photography/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/teju-cole-2851_art_on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggl_436456.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/teju-cole-2851_art_on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggl_436456.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/teju-cole-2851_art_on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggl_436456.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On many days my primary artistic struggle is, in fact, photography because it is harder to do good work with…” — Teju Cole", "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": "Teju Cole", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "On many days my primary artistic...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggle-is-in-fact-photography/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/on-many-days-my-primary-artistic-struggle-is-in-fact-photography/#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 } } ] } ```