I always try to balance the light with the heavy - a few tears of human spirit in with the read more

I always try to balance the light with the heavy - a few tears of human spirit in with the sequins and the fringes.

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.

The fact that writers will go through so much to remain writers says something, perhaps everything. It would be far read more

The fact that writers will go through so much to remain writers says something, perhaps everything. It would be far easier (and nearly always more profitable) to become a real estate agent.

I don't want to see pictures of Hollywood stars in their dressing gowns taking out the rubbish. It ruins the read more

I don't want to see pictures of Hollywood stars in their dressing gowns taking out the rubbish. It ruins the fantasy.

No one should drive a hard bargain with an artist.

No one should drive a hard bargain with an artist.

Art is an experience, not the formulation of a problem.

Art is an experience, not the formulation of a problem.

Immature artists imitate. Mature artists steal.

Immature artists imitate. Mature artists steal.

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.

What the mass media offers is not popular art, but entertainment which is intended to be consumed like food, forgotten, read more

What the mass media offers is not popular art, but entertainment which is intended to be consumed like food, forgotten, and replaced by a new dish.