--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really feel that artists or musicians…" description: "\"I really feel that artists or musicians are controversial people. Controversy is part of the nature of art and creativity. If people are not doing that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/yoko-ono-726_art_i-really-feel-that-artists-or-musicians_2930249.png" --- # I really feel that artists or musicians are controversial… ![“I really feel that artists or musicians are controversial people. Controversy is part of the nature of art and creativity. If people are not doing that, they're not artists - they're artisans.” quote by Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/yoko-ono-726_art_i-really-feel-that-artists-or-musicians_2930249.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/yoko-ono-726_art_i-really-feel-that-artists-or-musicians_2930249.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/yoko-ono-726_art_i-really-feel-that-artists-or-musicians_2930249.png) > “I really feel that artists or musicians are controversial people. Controversy is part of the nature of art and creativity. If people are not doing that, they're not artists - they're artisans.” [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists thrive on controversy because it challenges norms and fuels creative expression; artisans lack that edge. **In simple terms:** Controversy fuels art, not craft. Key Takeaway Embrace boldness in creative work. Themes creativity controversy art vs craft expression Mood provocative reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - gallery openings - musical performances - public debates - media interviews Key Concepts artistic risk cultural critique identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How does controversy shape your artistic identity? - When does controversy hinder rather than help? A Different Perspective Controversy can alienate audiences and limit commercial success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art and creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-and-creativity/) [Artisans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artisans/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Controversial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversial/) [Controversy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversy/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [There's always opposition when you do something big. I do many things that are controversial. When people see it, they love it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-s-always-opposition-when-you-do-something-big-i-do-many-things/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The abortion industry and their workers are under unique pressure and constantly in the spotlight because abortion is so controversial, and people on both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/the-abortion-industry-and-their-workers-are-under-unique-pressure-and/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [Bible Code is a subject that is very controversial - most people in the world would not even know what we are talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drunvalo-melchizedek/bible-code-is-a-subject-that-is-very-controversial-most-people-in-the/) [Drunvalo Melchizedek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drunvalo-melchizedek/) > [There are comics who choose to be controversial, and people have to make a judgment call. You either watch it or you don't. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/there-are-comics-who-choose-to-be-controversial-and-people-have-to/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) > [ \[Michael Flynn is\] controversial among many people in the national security establishment, many people in the Republican mainstream. The thing about this appointment that,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/michael-flynn-is-controversial-among-many-people-in-the-national/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Controversy is part of the nature of art and creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/controversy-is-part-of-the-nature-of-art-and-creativity/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [That such a perspective of the Declaration's 'Creator God' should sound so foreign and controversial to people today is a tragic and striking sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-swindall/that-such-a-perspective-of-the-declaration-s-creator-god-should-sound/) [Pat Swindall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-swindall/) > [The frustrating part of being tagged 'controversial' is people go looking for trouble where there isn't any to look for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-frustrating-part-of-being-tagged-controversial-is-people-go/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [It's so much of what art and creativity are, being able to confront your own demons. If you can do that, you can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/it-s-so-much-of-what-art-and-creativity-are-being-able-to-confront/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/select-only-things-to-steal-from-that-speak-directly-to-your-soul/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) > [You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/you-can-be-creative-only-if-you-love-life-enough-that-you-want-to/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [If you're not prepared to be wrong, you're not prepared to be original.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/if-you-re-not-prepared-to-be-wrong-you-re-not-prepared-to-be-original/) [Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/) > [Unfortunately, music devolved instead of evolved. The music business got into the hands of lawyers and accountants rather than the entrepreneurial creative people, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-wright/unfortunately-music-devolved-instead-of-evolved-the-music-business/) [Gary Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-wright/) > [This is part of the fundamental character of Buddhism that I find problematic - that it is not interested in anything. Hence the 'Fascination'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/this-is-part-of-the-fundamental-character-of-buddhism-that-i-find/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-chagall/art-must-be-an-expression-of-love-or-it-is-nothing/) [Marc Chagall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-chagall/) ## More by Yoko Ono > [Our public officials have forgotten that they are ultimately accountable to the people who put them in office, that the information they keep in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/our-public-officials-have-forgotten-that-they-are-ultimately/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you'll start to see a big difference in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/smile-in-the-mirror-do-that-every-morning-and-you-ll-start-to-see-a/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Think of the Earth as a turning point in eternity. Think of the Earth as a meeting point in infinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/think-of-the-earth-as-a-turning-point-in-eternity-think-of-the-earth/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [If your life changes, we can change the world, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/if-your-life-changes-we-can-change-the-world-too/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [ When people get cynical about love, they should look at us \[Yoko and John Lennon\] and see it is possible ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/when-people-get-cynical-about-love-they-should-look-at-us-yoko-and/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [True artists are prophets. I don't want to be that prophetic in that sense because it's so lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/true-artists-are-prophets-i-don-t-want-to-be-that-prophetic-in-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [The first idea, the first art piece I ever did, was when I was four. I cut the seed of a pear in half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/the-first-idea-the-first-art-piece-i-ever-did-was-when-i-was-four-i/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [John wrote with a very deep love for the human race and a concern for its future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/john-wrote-with-a-very-deep-love-for-the-human-race-and-a-concern-for/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [I always believed that my work should be unfinished in the sense that I encourage people to add their creativity to it, either conceptually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-always-believed-that-my-work-should-be-unfinished-in-the-sense-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Losing my daughter was a very serious pain. There was always some empty space in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/losing-my-daughter-was-a-very-serious-pain-there-was-always-some/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [People don't remember each tree in a park but all of us benefit from the trees. And in a way, artists are like trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/people-don-t-remember-each-tree-in-a-park-but-all-of-us-benefit-from/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Marriage is a gamble, let's be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/marriage-is-a-gamble-let-s-be-honest/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [It's difficult to explain love. You want to explain water? You need a book for it. There are many different ways to explain what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/it-s-difficult-to-explain-love-you-want-to-explain-water-you-need-a/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Being alone is very difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/being-alone-is-very-difficult/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Many people do remember their births, but they deny it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/many-people-do-remember-their-births-but-they-deny-it/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) [Explore all 391 Yoko Ono quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) ## 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": "I really feel that artists or musicians are controversial people. 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