Skip to content

All great contemporary artists, schooled or not, are…

“All great contemporary artists, schooled or not, are essentially self-taught and are de-skilling like crazy. I don't look for skill in art...Skill has nothing to do with technical proficiency... I'm interested in people who rethink skill, who redefine or reimagine it: an engineer, say, who builds…” quote by Jerry Saltz
Download Open image
“All great contemporary artists, schooled or not, are essentially self-taught and are de-skilling like crazy. I don't look for skill in art...Skill has nothing to do with technical proficiency... I'm interested in people who rethink skill, who redefine or reimagine it: an engineer, say, who builds rockets from rocks.”

Jerry Saltz

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Art education is shifting; self‑taught creators challenge traditional skill hierarchies, redefining expertise.

In simple terms: Self‑taught artists reshape what skill means.

Key Takeaway

Value creativity over formal training.

Themes

creativity skill education innovation

Mood

critical inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • art schools
  • studio practice
  • tech entrepreneurship
  • DIY projects

Key Concepts

self‑teaching redefinition de‑skilling

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can institutions support unconventional learning?
  • What defines true expertise today?
A Different Perspective

Traditional skill metrics may overlook depth of insight.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Jerry Saltz

Explore all 213 Jerry Saltz quotes

More Art quotes

Browse all 48,643 Art quotes