"An artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs"

Edgard Varese's quote, "An artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs," is a profound commentary on the relationship in between artists, development, and social reception. This declaration recommends that artists do not herald future patterns; rather, they operate within the capacity of the existing zeitgeist. Varese indicates that artists are skilled at checking out, comprehending, and manifesting the latent possibilities present within their current period. They are delicate to the undercurrents of change and improvement that are accessible to everyone, not clairvoyants forecasting the long run.

The second part of the quote, "but many people are far behind theirs," shifts the focus towards society at big. It recommends that many people or society as an entire tend to lag in recognizing and welcoming current potentials. This lag might be due to an attachment to conventional standards, convenience in the status quo, or a reluctance to challenge personal paradigms. The expression indicates a space between the cutting edge of creative exploration and the public's readiness or willingness to understand and accept new ideas.

In this context, Varese highlights the obligation of the artist to challenge and provoke idea, encouraging society to reach the potentials of their own time. The artist's function is nearly revelatory, acting as a catalyst for social growth and improvement. Rather than being inherently ahead of their time, artists may merely be more attuned to the possibilities currently present.

Additionally, Varese's quote reviews the nature of development and how development is often met with resistance. The perception of artists being ahead often comes from the preliminary shock or pain individuals feel when challenged with the unfamiliar. Nevertheless, this pain is not due to the fact that the art leads its time but since individuals might be sluggish, either purposefully or unconsciously, to welcome how their world can evolve.

Overall, Varese's observation is a difficulty for both artists to continue pressing boundaries and for society to engage more dynamically with the present.