As a child I had no toys; our house was bombed, but there were lots of bricks. Ruins are wonderful because they are the beginning of something new, you can do something with them.

I believe art has to take responsibility but it should not give up being art.

When I see a new artist I give myself a lot of time to reflect and decide whether it's art or not.

Art is longing. You never arrive, but you keep going in the hope that you will.

I was interested in transcendence from a very early age. I was interested in what was over there, what was behind life. So when I had my first communion I was very disappointed. I had expected something amazing and surprising and spiritual. Instead all I got was a bicycle. That wasn't what I was after at all.

If I do something that depresses, it's not because I'm depressed, but because political life and history is depressing.

Art is difficult. It's not entertainment. There are only a few people who can say something about art - it's very restricted. When I see a new artist I give myself a lot of time to reflect and decide whether it's art or not. Buying art is not understanding art.