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There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique.

Martha Graham, to Agnes de Mille

ArtMind

Why it matters

The idea in context

Graham said this to the choreographer Agnes de Mille, who had just had the biggest success of her life with 'Oklahoma!' and was miserable about it — she thought the work was mediocre and the praise proved her judgement was broken. Graham's reply was that an artist does not get to grade the work. The job is to keep the channel open and stay dissatisfied, because dissatisfaction is what keeps anyone marching.

Türkçe

Aynı kart, başka bir dilde.

Bir canlılık, bir yaşam gücü, bir enerji, bir kımıldanış vardır; senin içinden geçerek eyleme dönüşür ve zamanın tümünde senden yalnızca bir tane olduğu için bu ifade eşsizdir.
Martha Graham, Agnes de Mille'e

Graham bunu koreograf Agnes de Mille'e söyledi. De Mille hayatının en büyük başarısını 'Oklahoma!' ile yeni yakalamıştı ve bundan mutsuzdu; işi vasat buluyor, gelen övgüyü de kendi ölçüsünün bozulduğuna kanıt sayıyordu. Graham'ın cevabı şuydu: Sanatçının kendi işine not verme hakkı yoktur. Görev, kanalı açık tutmak ve tatminsiz kalmaktır; çünkü insanı yürüten şey o tatminsizliktir.

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Background reading: Martha GrahamAttribution and context are revised when stronger evidence appears. Corrections are welcome through the editorial page.
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