Art Quote by William Faulkner
““The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life. Since man is mortal, the only immortality possible for him is to leave something behind him that is immortal since it will always move.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Reflections on Art, 1949
Artists aim to capture life's motion artificially, creating works that revive movement for future viewers, achieving a form of immortality.
In simple terms: Artists freeze life to make it live again later.
Key Takeaway
Create art that endures beyond your lifetime.
Themes
art
immortality
motion
Mood
contemplative
inspirational
Type
philosophical
artistic
When to use this quote
- museum curation
- creative practice
- education on art history
- personal artistic projects
Key Concepts
aesthetic theory
legacy
temporal perception
Questions to Reflect On
- Can a work ever be truly timeless?
- What responsibilities do artists have to future audiences?
A Different Perspective
Art cannot truly stop time; interpretation changes over centuries.
