I think that truth is stranger than fiction, and it's nice to know the people you're making a movie about.

I like when people get really close to the paintings, when they can't really get away from them, I like them to operate in that way on the viewer.

When I made my first film, Basquiat, I think one of the criticisms was that the way I work is episodic. Later, as people started to look at the movies, they started to realize that maybe that's my style. If I could do it better or another way, I guess I would.

I think, basically, I'm an abstract artist. I just think that that's not even an issue. I think everything's abstract.

I think not knowing what to think of your paintings is a good place to be.

Some people might think that the paintings are involved with a mythic - not just subject matter - but a certain sort of physical space that the paintings occupy...like personages.

I think it's good when people don't write good things about your work. I mean, what a great compliment it is to be called a charlatan.