Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And dont bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: Its not where you take things from - its where you take them to." #53 - Winter, January 22, 2004 ]
authenticity context creative-process creativity imitation inspiration originality postmodernism rules sense-of-wonder sources transformation
Download Image Share on X Share on Facebook

About This Quote

About Jim Jarmusch

Jim Jarmusch was a contemporary American filmmaker. James Robert Jarmusch is an American filmmaker and musician. Read more on Wikipedia →

Themes

  • Creativity — The spark of original thought, invention, and artistic vision

More quotes by Jim Jarmusch

“Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new film, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, b...”
— Jim Jarmusch
art creativity imagination inspiration

“It's a sad and beautiful world.”
— Jim Jarmusch
beautiful beauty life sad

“Cricket makes no sense to me. I find it beautiful to watch and I like that they break for tea. That is very cool, but I don't understand. My friends from The Clash tried to explain it years and yea...”
— Jim Jarmusch
Friends Beautiful Me

“I didn't get my degree at NYU; I got it later, they gave me an honourary one.”
— Jim Jarmusch
Me Degree Later

“A lot of poets too live on the margins of social acceptance, they certainly aren't in it for the money. William Blake - only his first book was legitimately published.”
— Jim Jarmusch
Book Acceptance Live
View all quotes by Jim Jarmusch →

Related Quotes

“Perhaps the day will come where the validity of one's spirituality will be judged not by the correctness of one's theology but by the authenticity of one's spiritual life. When that day comes, an a...”
— David N. Elkins
authenticity buddhism christianity spirituality

“I have this excellent notion that we each have our own soul's purpose. We aren't meant to be in a spiritual pissing contest. You be you and do your thing. I will be me and do my thing. Anything mor...”
— Mishi McCoy
authenticity competition competition-and-attitude competition-with-others

“How would your life be different ifYou approached all relationships with authenticity and honesty? Let today be the dayYou dedicate yourself to building relationships on the solid foundation of tru...”
— Steve Maraboli
authenticity honestly inspirational life

“When facing society, the man most concerned, the man who is to do the most and contribute the most, has the least say. It's taken for granted that he has no voice and the reasons he could offer are...”
— Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead
context ideas society

“most social acts have to be understood in their setting, and lose meaning if isolated. No error in thinking about social facts is more serious than the failure to see their place and function.”
— Solomon E. Asch
context society understanding

“...Data itself... was tolerable. It was the constant nerve-web-expanding pain of context that would kill him.”
— Dan Simmons, Olympos
context knowledge understanding wisdom

“When describing nature, a writer should seize upon small details, arranging them so that the reader will see an image in his mind after he closes his eyes. For instance: you will capture the truth ...”
— Anton Chekhov
creative-process detail nature show-don-t-tell

“Dance above the surface of the world. Let your thoughts lift you into creativity that is not hampered by opinion.”
— Red Haircrow
creative-process creative-thinking creative-writing creativity

“My life will be the best illustration of all my work.”
— Hans Christian Andersen
creative-process illustration life work