There was a whole language that I could never make function for myself; it revolved around words like 'tortured', 'struggle'. 'pain'.. .I could never see these qualities in paint - I could see them in life and art that illustrates life. But I could not see such conflicts in the materials and I knew that it had to be in the attitude of the painter.

A newspaper that you're not reading can be used for anything; and the same people didn't think it was immoral to wrap their garbage in newspaper.

You wait until life is in the frame, then you have the permission to click. I like the adventure of waiting until the whole frame is full.

While my classmates were reading their textbooks, I drew in the margins.

It is neither Art for Art, nor Art against Art. I am for Art, but for Art that has nothing to do with Art. Art has everything to do with life, but it has nothing to do with Art.

But I was in awe of the painters; I mean I was new in New York, and I thought the painting that was going on here was just unbelievable

Understanding is a form of blindness. Good art, I think, can never be understood.