"I say it is indispensable to look ahead of and behind oneself in the present. If there is such a thing as tradition, and I believe there is, it can only exist in the sense of the most profound movements of culture"

Robert Delaunay urges an approach to time that is holistic and dynamic, suggesting that the present moment cannot be fully understood or inhabited without considering its relationship to both the past and the future. To “look ahead of and behind oneself in the present” is to recognize that every current action, thought, and creation is both a product of history and a seed for what is to come. The present is not an isolated point, but a confluence, an intersection where inherited traditions and visionary possibilities meet.

Delaunay’s invocation of tradition is not about mere repetition or blind adherence to the old. He reframes tradition as something alive, deeply embedded in the “most profound movements of culture.” In this view, tradition is not a static set of norms but a living force, shaped and reshaped by the currents of creativity, innovation, and shared experience. The “movements of culture” are profound because they represent the collective and evolving energies of a society or an era. Tradition, then, is a dynamic inheritance, filtered through the unique lens of each generation, transformed by context and imagination.

By believing in tradition as something existing only through the profound movements of culture, Delaunay elevates it beyond rote custom; he sees it as a wellspring for artistic and cultural progress. He hints that authentic creativity and cultural progress require an awareness of one’s roots as well as one’s direction. Neglecting the past risks severing oneself from inherited wisdom, but ignoring the future stifles innovation. The present demands a balance: honoring the depth of tradition while pushing toward new possibilities.

Delaunay’s perspective is ultimately one of synthesis, culture must move forward, but it must do so conscious of the forces that have shaped it. In this dynamic interplay, the present becomes fertile ground for both preserving and redefining tradition.