--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always been leery of comical artists…" description: "\"I've always been leery of comical artists because I think oftentimes they're hiding the fact that they're not that talented. For example, with Martin K..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/diego-cortez-45762_art_i-ve-always-been-leery-of-comical-artist_52122.jpg" --- # I've always been leery of comical artists because I think… ![“I've always been leery of comical artists because I think oftentimes they're hiding the fact that they're not that talented. For example, with Martin Kippenberger, I always thought he was a kind of poor man's Sigmar Polke - also a humorist - but Kippenberger used humor to get away with things he…” quote by Diego Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/diego-cortez-45762_art_i-ve-always-been-leery-of-comical-artist_52122.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/diego-cortez-45762_art_i-ve-always-been-leery-of-comical-artist_52122.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/diego-cortez-45762_art_i-ve-always-been-leery-of-comical-artist_52122.jpg) > “I've always been leery of comical artists because I think oftentimes they're hiding the fact that they're not that talented. For example, with Martin Kippenberger, I always thought he was a kind of poor man's Sigmar Polke - also a humorist - but Kippenberger used humor to get away with things he couldn't master.” [Diego Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-cortez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker distrusts humor in art, seeing it as a cover for lacking skill, exemplified by Kippenberger's use of comedy to mask artistic shortcomings. **In simple terms:** Humor can hide artistic weakness. Key Takeaway Beware of jokes that mask competence. Themes Art criticism Humor in art Authenticity Talent perception Artist reputation Mood skeptical analytical Type critical observational When to use this quote - Evaluating contemporary exhibitions - Discussing artist intent - Teaching art history - Curating shows - Writing reviews Key Concepts Artistic merit Self-deception Critical perception Practical Applications - Art criticism - Curatorial decision-making Questions to Reflect On - Does humor enhance or diminish artistic value? - How can we discern genuine talent from clever presentation? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comical/) [Comical Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comical-artists-737464/) [Get away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-away/) [Hiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding/) [Humorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorist/) [Humorist Kippenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorist-kippenberger-737465/) [Humorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorists/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Polke Humorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polke-humorist-737466/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Used Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-humor-737012/) ## Related quotes > [I used humor to avoid being picked on as a kid. Or I would try and make my parents laugh, so I wouldn't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendi-mclendon-covey/i-used-humor-to-avoid-being-picked-on-as-a-kid-or-i-would-try-and/) [Wendi McLendon-Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendi-mclendon-covey/) > [Appropriately used humor can shine light on the truth, disarm difficult behavior, and show that you have superior composure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/appropriately-used-humor-can-shine-light-on-the-truth-disarm/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [I was bullied as a child and used humor to rise above it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vermin-supreme/i-was-bullied-as-a-child-and-used-humor-to-rise-above-it/) [Vermin Supreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vermin-supreme/) > [I was a product of a divorced family and I used humor as a weapon to combat sadness. I used comedy to make my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-gad/i-was-a-product-of-a-divorced-family-and-i-used-humor-as-a-weapon-to/) [Josh Gad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-gad/) > [I've always used humor, but I use humor when coping with things in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-michelle-kelly/i-ve-always-used-humor-but-i-use-humor-when-coping-with-things-in/) [Laura Michelle Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-michelle-kelly/) > [All the people I looked up to - Roseanne, Tim Allen, and Jerry Seinfeld - were stand-up comedians who used humor to get TV…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/retta/all-the-people-i-looked-up-to-roseanne-tim-allen-and-jerry-seinfeld/) [Retta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/retta/) > [I used humor as survival, as a weapon and as comfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-used-humor-as-survival-as-a-weapon-and-as-comfort/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [I was always kind of finding humor to be an access point to the conversation, to a pain relief, if you will. My mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shadyac/i-was-always-kind-of-finding-humor-to-be-an-access-point-to-the/) [Tom Shadyac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shadyac/) > [I don't really know. I think the first test is when you're very little and you fart, and you laugh at it and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/i-don-t-really-know-i-think-the-first-test-is-when-you-re-very-little/) [Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/) > [President Ford used humor a great deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/president-ford-used-humor-a-great-deal/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [The humorist has a good eye for the humbug; he does not always recognize the saint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-humorist-has-a-good-eye-for-the-humbug-he-does-not-always/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“Like most seasoned phonies, I roundly suspect that everyone is as disingenuous as I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/like-most-seasoned-phonies-i-roundly-suspect-that-everyone-is-as/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I learned as a young man that I don't write jokes, but that I can deliver more mundane material and get a laugh. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-learned-as-a-young-man-that-i-don-t-write-jokes-but-that-i-can/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [“Hatshepsut has been called the first great woman of history. She simply appointed herself King of Egypt and that was all there was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cuppy/hatshepsut-has-been-called-the-first-great-woman-of-history-she/) [Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cuppy/) > [“As someone else once said, "Write what you know". Well I know very little, so I write, and illustrate, Nonsense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-h-tubb/as-someone-else-once-said-write-what-you-know-well-i-know-very-little/) [Paul H Tubb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-h-tubb/) ## More by Diego Cortez > [I would say that most serious artists have a pretty complete idea of what they're going to do before they do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-cortez/i-would-say-that-most-serious-artists-have-a-pretty-complete-idea-of/) [Diego Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-cortez/) > [Even after seeing so much bad art in the last few years, it still seems possible that one can be led to the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-cortez/even-after-seeing-so-much-bad-art-in-the-last-few-years-it-still/) [Diego Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-cortez/) > [The great achievement of Zen Buddhism, and all of its cultural expressions in painting or the tea ceremony or rock gardens, is a rejection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-cortez/the-great-achievement-of-zen-buddhism-and-all-of-its-cultural/) [Diego Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-cortez/) > [I've always hated the word spirituality, but now I accept the word, and I think it's a useful term. It just means so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-cortez/i-ve-always-hated-the-word-spirituality-but-now-i-accept-the-word-and/) [Diego Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-cortez/) > [Museums have traditionally been places that protect the art object. But in the last 40 years, a new type of museum has emerged -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-cortez/museums-have-traditionally-been-places-that-protect-the-art-object/) [Diego Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-cortez/) > [The church was always very adept at incorporating all the different artistic disciplines. What we call the church is actually an assemblage of different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-cortez/the-church-was-always-very-adept-at-incorporating-all-the-different/) [Diego Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-cortez/) > [Our recent pop-music icons, even the most radical ones, like Björk or Caetano Veloso, often have to present themselves as happy and make positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-cortez/our-recent-pop-music-icons-even-the-most-radical-ones-like-bj-rk-or/) [Diego Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-cortez/) > [I think what happened in the last 10 or 15 years in the art market is that all the players - and that includes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-cortez/i-think-what-happened-in-the-last-10-or-15-years-in-the-art-market-is/) [Diego Cortez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-cortez/) [Explore all 9 Diego Cortez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-cortez/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always been leery of comical artists because I think oftentimes they're hiding the fact that they're not that talented. 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