I think it is very important to know that we are going to die. Now we refuse the fact of dying. There was once serenity in dying where you had all your children around you in a ceremony and would utter your last words with something like, 'I love the sky'.
Christian BoltanskiI think that all human activity is stupid. Artistic activity is also stupid, but you can see it more clearly.
Christian BoltanskiIt's pretentious to say, but my art is like a little Zen story, a story with a question mark at the end. People can take from it what they need. If somebody says, "Your art is very funny," I say, "You are totally right." If somebody says, "Your art is very sad," I say, "You are totally right." In Japan they say, "Your art is very Japanese, you even look Japanese.Your great-grandfather was most surely a Japanese man." And I say, "You are totally right."
Christian BoltanskiThere are very few times in creation in your life. One time is when you become an adult, one time is when your parents die, and the other time is when you are very old.
Christian Boltanski