America tends to worship the modest talent because it doesn't put us in an uncomfortable position vis-a-vis the artist.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
The artist is something of an outsider in America. I have always felt that America does not value its artists, certainly not in the sense that the Europeans do.
I will never permit myself to give in to American taste and lower the standards of art.
As an artist you have to have a certain amount of arrogance.
Making art in America is sort of a political statement in and of itself. It's not the best environment for that sometimes.
There's a power in what we hold as artists, and part of that comes with responsibility... to share the human experience and really allow that to be seen.
We artists have the dignity to tell the truth to the people, unlike politicians.
Artists don't really want to be marginalized. They believe that everybody should be able to appreciate the experience that an artist gives them, an experience that connects us to each other in a deep way.
I think a lot of times our culture has an attitude toward art and the production of art that separates artists from the rest of us, like making art or music or painting or whatever is some magical thing that you have to be inspired to do, and special people do it.
The arts in America exist in spite of America, not because of America.
Americans worship creativity the way they worship physical beauty - as a way of enjoying elitism without guilt: God did it.