“We all admire the spangled acrobat with classic grace meticulously walking his tight rope in the talcum light; but how much rarer art there is in the sagging rope expert wearing scarecrow clothes and impersonating a grotesque drunk! I should know.”
Explore This Quote Further
Quote Analysis
In this quote by Vladimir Nabokov, the author reflects on the idea that while we may admire the skill and precision of a talented performer, there is a unique artistry in someone who can create humor and intrigue through imperfection and impermanence. This quote suggests that true artistry can be found in unexpected places and unconventional forms of expression.
Embracing Imperfection in Modern Art
In this quote by Vladimir Nabokov, he highlights the beauty and artistry found in imperfection. While the spangled acrobat may be admired for their grace and precision, Nabokov suggests that there is a unique art in the imperfect and unconventional. This message resonates in modern times where the definition of art continues to evolve, embracing diversity, individuality, and the unexpected.
Vladimir Nabokov on the Art of Tightrope Walking
“We all admire the spangled acrobat with classic grace meticulously walking his tight rope in the talcum light; but how much rarer art there is in the sagging rope expert wearing scarecrow clothes and impersonating a grotesque drunk! I should know.” - Vladimir Nabokov
Reflective Questions:
In this quote by Vladimir Nabokov, he points out the often overlooked artistry in less conventional forms of performance. Reflecting on this quote, consider the following questions:
- Have you ever found yourself gravitating towards traditional or more unconventional forms of art or entertainment? How do they differ in your eyes?
- How do you define skill or talent in a performance? Is it solely based on technical proficiency, or can it also include creative expression and originality?
- In what ways can we challenge our own preconceptions and broaden our appreciation for different forms of art or performance?
- Have you ever witnessed a performance that defied traditional expectations and left a lasting impact on you? What was it about that performance that stood out to you?
Similar quotes
“I cannot conceive how anybody in his right mind should go to a psychoanalyst. ”
“We are liable to miss the best of life if we do not know how to tingle, if we do not learn to hoist ourselves just a little higher than we generally are in order to sample the rarest and ripest fruit of art which human thought has to offer.”
“Rope-skipping, hopscotch. That old woman in black who sat down next to me on my bench, on my rack of joy (a nymphet was groping under me for a lost marble), and asked if I had stomachache, the insolent hag. Ah, leave me alone in my pubescent park, in my mossy garden. Let them play around me forever. Never grow up.”
“- Might it console you to know that I expect nothing but torture from her return? That I regard you as a bird of paradise?She shook her head.- That my admiration for you is painfully strong?- I want Van – she cried – and not intangible admiration.- Intangible? You goose. You my gauge it, you may brush it once very lightly with the knuckles of you gloved hand. I said knuckles. I said once. That will do. I can't kiss you. Not even your burning face. Good-bye, pet. Tell Edmond to take a nap after he returns. I shall need him at two in the morning.”
“...my family despised Faberge objects as emblems of grotesque garishness.”
“I was weeping again, drunk on the impossible past.”