"The eye is a very quick instrument, much quicker than the ear. The eye gets it immediately"
About this Quote
The ear, by contrast, demands time. Sound unfolds; it forces sequence, patience, interpretation. Kapoor’s comparison quietly argues that art made for looking has a built-in advantage - but also a risk. If the eye is too quick, it can mistake impact for understanding. His best pieces stage that trap: you think you’ve “got it,” then the object destabilizes you. A reflective concavity turns you into the content; a dark cavity refuses depth cues; scale scrambles orientation. The immediate read becomes unreliable.
Subtext: Kapoor isn’t surrendering to superficiality; he’s weaponizing perception. He’s reminding us that visual art begins as a physiological event, not a thesis statement. The intent is to pull viewers into a fast, bodily certainty - and then force them to confront how flimsy that certainty is.
Quote Details
| Topic | Art |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Kapoor, Anish. (2026, January 17). The eye is a very quick instrument, much quicker than the ear. The eye gets it immediately. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-eye-is-a-very-quick-instrument-much-quicker-40117/
Chicago Style
Kapoor, Anish. "The eye is a very quick instrument, much quicker than the ear. The eye gets it immediately." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-eye-is-a-very-quick-instrument-much-quicker-40117/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The eye is a very quick instrument, much quicker than the ear. The eye gets it immediately." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-eye-is-a-very-quick-instrument-much-quicker-40117/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.









