“An artist is a provincial who finds himself somewhere between a physical reality and a metaphysical one. It’s this in-between that I’m calling a province, this frontier country between the tangible world and the intangible one. That is the realm of the artist.”
In this quote by Federico Fellini, the acclaimed Italian filmmaker, he delves into the unique position that artists find themselves in. Fellini describes artists as individuals who straddle the line between the physical reality that surrounds them and the metaphysical, intangible realm that exists beyond. This in-between state, this "province" as he calls it, is where the artist operates and draws inspiration from. It is a frontier country that allows for the exploration of both tangible and intangible elements, giving the artist a unique perspective on the world. This quote highlights the creative and boundary-pushing nature of artists, who continuously seek to bridge the gap between what is seen and what is felt.
Federico Fellini's quote highlights the unique position of artists as individuals who straddle the line between the physical and metaphysical worlds. In today's society, this idea remains relevant as artists continue to explore and navigate the boundaries between reality and imagination. Artists have the power to challenge norms, provoke thought, and inspire change, making them essential in shaping our understanding of the world around us.
"An artist is a provincial who finds himself somewhere between a physical reality and a metaphysical one. It’s this in-between that I’m calling a province, this frontier country between the tangible world and the intangible one. That is the realm of the artist." - Federico Fellini
When reading the quote by Federico Fellini about artists existing between physical and metaphysical realities, consider the following questions for deeper reflection:
How do you interpret the idea of a province as the intersection between the tangible world and the intangible one?
In what ways do you see yourself as existing in this frontier country as an artist or creative individual?
How does this concept resonate with your own experiences of creating art or engaging in other forms of creative expression?
What role do you think this in-between space plays in shaping the perspectives and work of artists across different mediums and genres?
How can acknowledging and embracing this province as an artist influence your creative process and the outcome of your artistic endeavors?
“I don't believe in total freedom for the artist. Left on his own, free to do anything he likes, the artist ends up doing nothing at all. If there's one thing that's dangerous for an artist, it's precisely this question of total freedom, waiting for inspiration and all the rest of it.”
“Objects and their functions no longer had any significance. All I perceived was perception itself, the hell of forms and figures devoid of human emotion and detached from the reality of my unreal environment. I was an instrument in a virtual world that constantly renewed its own meaningless image in a living world that was itself perceived outside of nature. And since the appearance of things was no longer definitive but limitless, this paradisiacal awareness freed me from the reality external to myself. The fire and the rose, as it were, became one.”
“Borges is particularly stimulating to a man who works in the cinema, because the unusual thing about his writing is that it is like a dream, extraordinarily farsighted in calling up from the unconscious complete images in which the thing itself, and its meaning, coexist - exactly as happens in a film. And, just as happens in dreams, in Borges the incongruous, the absurd, the contradictory, the arcane and the repetitive, although as powerfully imaginative as ever, are at the same time illumined like the careful details of something larger, something unknown, and are the faultless elements of a cruelly perfect, indifferent mosaic. Even the fact that Borges's work is strangely fragmentary makes me think of a broken dreamlike flow; and the heterogeneous quality of his work - stories, essays, poems - I prefer to see not as the union of the multiple threads in a greedy, impatient talent, but as a mysterious sign of unending change.”
“Put yourself into life and never lose your openness, your childish enthusiasm throughout the journey that is life, and things will come your way.”
“No matter what happens, always Keep your childhood innocence. It's the most important thing.”
“All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster's autobiography.”