What the art historians had forgotten is that in Chinese, Japanese, Persian, and Indian art, they never painted shadows. Why did they paint shadows in European art? Shadows are because of optics. Optics need shadows and strong light. Strong light makes the deepest shadows. It took me a few years to realize fully that the art historians didn't grasp that. There are a lot of interesting new things, ideas, pictures.

There's no need to believe what an artist says. Believe what he does; that's what counts.

The camera can't see space. It sees surfaces. People see space, which is much more interesting.

I think the Enlightenment is leading us into a dark hole, really.

I think Picasso was, without doubt, the greatest portraitist of the 20th century, if not any other century.

All art is contemporary, if it's alive, and if it's not alive, what's the point of it?

As for the world of fashion and celebrity, I have the usual interest in the human comedy, but the problems of depiction absorb me more.