Without freedom, no art; art lives only on the restraints it imposes on itself, and dies of all others.

Without freedom, no art; art lives only on the restraints it imposes on itself, and dies of all others.

I remember being handed a score composed by Mozart at the age of eleven. What could I say? I felt read more

I remember being handed a score composed by Mozart at the age of eleven. What could I say? I felt like de Kooning, who was asked to comment on a certain abstract painting, and answered in the negative. He was then told it was the work of a celebrated monkey. 'That's different. For a monkey, it's terrific.' - "London Magazine", March, 1967.

Nature is inside art as its content, not outside as its model.

Nature is inside art as its content, not outside as its model.

Every other artist begins with a blank canvas, a piece of paper the photographer begins with the finished product.

Every other artist begins with a blank canvas, a piece of paper the photographer begins with the finished product.

My mother said to me, "If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, read more

My mother said to me, "If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope." Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso.

The artist should be a seeing-eye dog for a myopic civilization.

The artist should be a seeing-eye dog for a myopic civilization.

No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist.

No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist.

Great art picks up where nature ends.

Great art picks up where nature ends.

I am for an art that is political-erotical-mystical, that does something other than sit on its ass in a museum.

I am for an art that is political-erotical-mystical, that does something other than sit on its ass in a museum.