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Quote by Lewis Hyde

Work

The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World

This book delves into the essence of creativity, examining how it manifests in the works of artists and its impact on the modern world. more

Author

Lewis Hyde
Lewis Hyde

Lewis Hyde is an American essayist and poet, known for his profound reflections on creativity, culture, and society. His work delves into the lives and work of artists, as well as the role of art in society. more

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“What is it about a work of art, even when it is bought and sold in the market, that makes us distinguish it from . . . pure commodities? A work of art is a gift, not a commodity. . . works of art exist simultaneously in two “economies”, a market economy and a gift economy. Only one of these is essential, however: a work of art can survive without the market, but where there is no gift, there is no art.”

“The gift moves towards the empty place. As it turns in its circle it turns towards him who has been empty-handed the longest, and if someone appears elsewhere whose need is greater it leaves its old channel and moves toward him. Our generosity may leave us empty, but our emptiness then pulls gently at the whole until the thing in motion returns to replenish us. Social nature abhors a vacuum.”