WIST Quotations

Martin, Steve -- L. A. Story (1991)

Dave — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 13:22:51 +0000

HARRIS: I call it performance art, but my friend Ariel calls it wasting time. History will decide.

Steve Martin (b. 1945) American comedian, actor, writer, producer, musician
L. A. Story (1991)
(Source)

(Source (Video))

Tarkovsky, Andrei -- Sculpting in Time (1986) [tr. Hunter-Blair]

Dave — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 17:51:36 +0000

Art is born and takes hold wherever there is a timeless and insatiable longing for the spiritual, for the ideal: that longing which draws people to art. Modern art has taken the wrong turn in abandoning the search for the meaning of existence in order to affirm the value of the individual for his own sake.

Andrei Tarkovsky (1932-1986) Russian film director, screenwriter, film theorist [Андрей Арсеньевич Тарковский]
Sculpting in Time (1986) [tr. Hunter-Blair]
(Source)

Holland, Barbara -- Wasn’t the Grass Greener?: A Curmudgeon’s Fond Memories, “Art” (1999)

Dave — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 14:10:50 +0000

For the first time in six or seven thousand years, many people of goodwill find themselves confused about art. They want to enjoy it because enjoying art is something they expect of themselves as civilized persons, but they’re unsure how to do so. They aren’t even sure which of the visible objects are art and which are furniture, clothes, hors d’oeuvres, or construction rubble, and whether a pile of dead and decomposing rats is deliberate art or just another pile of decomposing rats.

Barbara Holland (1933-2010) American author
Wasn’t the Grass Greener?: A Curmudgeon’s Fond Memories, “Art” (1999)
(Source)

Parker, Robert -- Walking Shadow (1994)

Dave — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 21:42:06 +0000

“What’s the play about?”
“Nobody seems to know.”
“What do the actors say it’s about?”
“They don’t know,” Susan said. She was as close to embarrassed as she gets.
“The actors don’t know what it’s about?”
“No.”
“How about the Director?”
“Lou says that a play is not required to be about anything.”
“And it runs how long?”
“Four and a half hours with an intermission.” Susan smiled encouragingly. “It’s very controversial,” she said.
“Excellent,” I said. “Maybe a fight will break out.”

Robert B. Parker (1932-2010) American writer
Walking Shadow (1994)

Capp, Al -- In The National Observer (1 Jul 1963)

Dave — Tue, 20 May 2014 12:48:05 +0000

Abstract art? A product of the untalented, sold by the unprincipled to the utterly bewildered.

Al Capp (1909-1979) American cartoonist and humorist [Alfred Gerald Caplin]
In The National Observer (1 Jul 1963)

Stoppard, Tom -- Artist Descending a Staircase (1972)

Dave — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:46:55 +0000

Skill without imagination is craftsmanship and gives us many useful objects such as wickerwork picnic baskets. Imagination without skill gives us modern art.

Tom Stoppard (1937-2025) Czech-English playwright and screenwriter
Artist Descending a Staircase (1972)