Karen Smith et al. Ai Weiwei (Contemporary Artists (Phaidon), London: Phaidon Press, 2009.
2000-09, 2009
“The artist is seen like a producer of commodities, like a factory that turns our refrigerators. I believe that the artist's involvement in the capitalist structure is disadvantageous to the artist and forces him to produce objects in order to live.”
Quotes of Sol Lewitt
Source: Art Institute of Chicago. Video Data Bank (1992), On Art and Artists. p. 1991
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Sol LeWitt 9
American artist 1928–2007Related quotes
Source: Art & Other Serious Matters, (1985), p. 51, "Inquest into Modernism"
"Inversion"
Degrees: Thought Capsules and Micro Tales (1989)
Some Versions of Pastoral (London: Chatto & Windus, 1935) p. 15.
Other
“An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have.”
Source: Andy Warhol, Thirty Are Better Than One
The Principles of Success in Literature (1865)
Context: An artist produces an effect in virtue of the distinctness with which he sees the objects he represents, seeing them not vaguely as in vanishing apparitions, but steadily, and in their most characteristic relations. To this Vision he adds artistic skill with which to make us see. He may have clear conceptions, yet fail to make them clear to us: in this case he has imagination, but is not an artist. Without clear Vision no skill can avail. Imperfect Vision necessitates imperfect representation; words take the place of ideas.
Quoted in "Remembering Ellen Stewart, Founder of La MaMa Etc." By Ellis Nassour, Theaterlife.com http://theaterlife.com/remembering-ellen-stewart/.
"Artistic Freedom"
I'm a Born Liar (2003)
Context: I don't believe in total freedom for the artist. Left on his own, free to do anything he likes, the artist ends up doing nothing at all. If there's one thing that's dangerous for an artist, it's precisely this question of total freedom, waiting for inspiration and the rest of it.
From " Usher ‘experimental’ in relationships http://www.music-news.com/shownews.asp?H=Usher-%EF%BF%BDexperimental%EF%BF%BD-in-relationships&nItemID=52417", Q Magazine (May 25, 2012).