"To play safe, I prefer to accept only one type of power: the power of art over trash, the triumph of magic over the brute"

Vladimir Nabokov's statement, "To play safe, I prefer to accept only one type of power: the power of art over garbage, the accomplishment of magic over the brute", presents a deep expedition of the relationship in between imagination and mediocrity, intellect and large force. Through this quote, Nabokov articulates a fragile choice for the transformative and informing nature of art over the crude and ordinary components of life, referred to as "garbage.".

By asserting "the power of art over trash", Nabokov highlights his belief in the supremacy of artistic expression as a transformative force. Art, in his view, is not merely an aesthetic or imaginative endeavor; it is a medium that raises the human experience, providing insight, pleasure, and understanding. It goes beyond the shallow and typically severe truths symbolized by "trash". Garbage incorporates not simply physical waste, but also the figurative refuse-- banal or superficial aspects of presence that stop working to record the complexity and beauty of life. In this context, Nabokov believes that art has the unique ability to refine the raw and coarse, rendering them evocative and significant.

Moreover, his reference of "the accomplishment of magic over the brute" serves to extend this metaphor into a more comprehensive philosophical domain, where magic symbolizes creativity, wonder, and the mysterious charm intrinsic in art. The "brute", on the other hand, is representative of raw power, domination, or the baser impulses of human nature. Nabokov suggests that real accomplishment lies in the subtle, enchanting attraction of magic, which art embodies, rather than in the simple illustration of force or control.

Eventually, Nabokov's quote is a homage to the enduring strength of art and imagination. It shows his conviction that the fragile wielding of artistic power can indeed eclipse the coarse and often frustrating existence of the banal and the brute, using a vision of beauty and insight that reshapes our engagement with the world.