Bruce Nauman Quotes

I really like to experiment. That's the only way I can work. It's instinctive.

I want to feel like I'm doing something creative and trying different things, putting different hats on and playing. I don't know what's the point otherwise; otherwise, it's just a job. You punch a time clock.

I'm not afraid to have a really weird idea or, you know, take a really bad guitar solo.

I'm looking for something that gives me a chance to stretch. Because I have my own work, and I can do anything I want in my own work - juggle, tap dance, anything I want.

I think one of the things about creativity is not to be afraid of saying the wrong thing.

What's lucky about my career in general is that I stumbled into what every writer most wants. Not repeating myself and doing strange things has become my trademark.

Not to be boxed in, to be able to transcend boundaries: for an artist, it's essential.

The spirit of jazz is the spirit of openness.

I think there are actors who are like, 'Okay, what am I doing, how am I doing it, what's the appeal? Tell me what to do, what are the exact lines from the script? Okay, I got it.' I am not that way. I would be a terrible bus driver. I'd want to be like, 'Oh, let's take this side road! Let's see what happens when we go down this back alley.'

And as I've gotten deeper into the process of making films and television and such, I think I have more trust in the fact that you really never know what you're going to find after the twenty-fifth take.

I'm a person who is always trying to write in a different vein.

I'm attracted to seeing how different I can be, pushing the boat out.

I see myself as someone who makes things. Definitions have never done anything but constrain.

When I try to write I try to write something different every time. That's the challenge.

I don't follow any system. All the laws you can lay down are only so many props to be cast aside when the hour of creation arrives.

Playing with decks, for me, has always been about trying new things. I make it a point to keep trying different things, keep pushing it a little bit at a time.

We have the script, we have the actors, and we're trying to figure out what this is, and you don't know what it is. You have to be open to what it's going to become rather than have this thing that you're trying to get to, which is boring.

You know. I'll try anything. I'll do anything. I'll explore. Try different takes. All that kind of stuff to do sometimes, to do good performances, but always conducive to having a good time creatively.

You are constantly looking for ways to do something you haven't done before, whether it's a particular role or doing theatre. As a person, I'm really open to experience.

We always have a take that's 'one for fun', so once you've got what you need, you can do what you like. Something does occasionally pop out of that tree. I'm always open to ideas.

I try stuff. I synthesize what's of value with some of the other things I have at my disposal.

This is the rock 'n' roll life, and you had to invent it as you went along. There was no textbook to say how you operate this machinery.

I want to surprise people and do different things and maybe do something that's not quite financially rewarding.

We stand for creativity and pushing boundaries and having fun with one's music.

I have always had an instinct for doing new things. Call it good or bad, I love to experiment.