John F. Kennedy Quotes

If life were organized, there would be no need for art.

Don't think about making art.

Art like life, should be free, since both are experimental.

Art is about freedom of expression, and should not be molded to fit any propaganda or lofty ideal.

The best reason to paint is that there is no reason to paint.

perfectionism is the enemy of art. Since art is essentially divine play, not dogged work, it often happens that as one becomes more professionally driven one also becomes less capriciously playful.

Authorship is not a trade, it is an inspiration; authorship does not keep an office, its habitation is all out under the sky, and everywhere the winds are blowing and the sun is shining and the creatures of God are free.

There are some very powerful contributions to knowledge in the scientific world or the legal world, but art is singular. That's why every dictator gets rid of the artists first. They burn the books and execute the artists first. Then they get on with whatever else they're interested in. Art might do something. It's dangerous.

It's exciting to watch people do and write and say what they feel like doing, writing and saying.

To be able to do art, it was a luxury to me.

I never know what I'm going to put on the canvas. The canvas paints itself. I'm just the middleman.

The job of art is to chase ugliness away.

If I had a place with a studio where I could paint I'd be happy.

I can paint in jail.

I worked on movies with a lot of violence when I was a cinematographer, and it always bothered me. It's a personal thing. I wouldn't want my kids to see it. I certainly believe that freedom of expression shouldn't be taken away, but I also believe you can make movies that are thrilling and exciting without too much violence.

Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it.

Music is art to me, and you don't censor art. You don't go into a museum and censor things.

My imagination can picture no fairer happiness than to continue living for art.

The great thing about this thing we call art is that it has no rules.

Filmmakers and artists always thrive during more liberal times.

Why I talk so seriously about art is that art is the only thing that helps people stay alive, and it is the only thing that has allowed people to create joy in this insane, suppressive universe. And art is the only thing that they can't get rid of. They've tried, but ultimately they can't stamp it out.

Art is freedom. If you defend art, you defend freedom.

Art is where we make a stand. If we don't make it there, freedom of expression is lost for everyone - for artists, for journalists, and for everyday people.

All real works of art look as though they were done in joy.