“Why do you need street smarts? Shrewdness? Toughness? It's to protect something soft that is going to be in danger if it's exposed at the wrong time and place. It's to protect a soul. But to protect your soul, you have to have one to start with.” IfsNeedsSoulStreetsDangerProtectSmartYour SoulExposedToughnessWrong TimeShrewdness Author:Peter Schjeldahl
“It's possible I am the only art critic that a lot of people read. And maybe Robert Hughes, if he's still writing.” PeopleIfsWritingArtStillsCriticsArt Critic Author:Peter Schjeldahl
“There's art that I would readily buy if I could afford it, and enjoy, but would never write about because it doesn't seem significant.” IfsWritingArtSeemsEnjoySignificantIf I Could Author:Peter Schjeldahl
“The problem of making artists talk about their work is that when they're making their work the left-brain is shut off. So if you talk to an artist about it, you're talking to someone who wasn't there. It's hopeless.” IfsProblemArtistLeftBrainTalkingHopelessTalking To SomeoneLeft Brain Author:Peter Schjeldahl
“All artists and creative people are basically unhappy people. If you were happy, that would mean you were content with the world as it was and why would you ever want to change it?” PeopleIfsWorldWantMeanArtistCreativeUnhappyCreative PeopleHappy PeopleUnhappy People Author:Peter Schjeldahl
“You don't need everybody to agree with you, but you do need a few people. And by this point I have a fairly high degree of confidence in my judgment, in that I don't doubt my sanity; or, even if I do, I don't have to be reassured.” PeopleIfsNeedsDoubtDegreesJudgmentAgreeSanity Author:Peter Schjeldahl
“Rembrandt was way ahead of his time. It's as if he was painting an amateur theatrical, or a professional theatrical, in his studio. It's a kind of performance.” IfsWayKindPaintingPerformancesStudiosTheatrical Author:Peter Schjeldahl
