“An artist would not rise above the mediocrity if he condemns it.”
“We only rise above mediocrity when there's something at stake. p. 174”
“Only the mediocre artist is always at his best.”
“The only way to rise above is to rise above. The only way to respond to wrong is with right. The only way to deal with injustice is to be just.”
“With a little more time, patience, and hard work, and above all with a more sensitive taste for the formal aspects of arts, he would have managed to write mediocre poetry, good enough for a lady’s album – and this is always a gallant thing to do, whatever you may say.”
“No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist.”