The artist creates the material that we look back upon as part of history.

I don't really think that the technique really determines the veracity of the image. It's what the image does to the viewer that determines whether it's right or wrong.

Artists are a very important part of our society because they make a great contribution to our values. The artist creates a value system that we all grow up on, whether we know it or not.

There were no black images of dignity, no images of beautiful black people. There was this big hole. I tried to fill it.

The artist creates the material that we look back upon as part of history.

You should be able to look at me and see my work. You should be able to look at my work and see me.

But if it's true it's beautiful. Truth is beautiful. And so my whole work is about what amounts to a reverence for life itself.