Art Quote by Elfriede Jelinek
““Madness? Categories such as that do not exist – as far as I'm concerned, everything is healthy, except for fruit and vegetables. In art, too, madness comes in handy, in the art of the insane, and soon there will no doubt be artists who inflict wounds upon themselves, they will be the most modern of all modern artists. For example, you’re injured and you go for a walk along the street and display your injury to a police inspector, calling it a work of art, he does not understand this, and the gulf between him and the artist (who is at one and the same time his own work of art) becomes immeasurable, never to be crossed. Submission to something you didn't preach yourself is no good, I quote. Because Man must burst his ridiculous bonds, which consist of what is supposedly current reality with a prospect of a future reality of scarcely any greater value. Quote: Each and every full minute bears within it the negation of centuries of lame, broken history. End of quote.””
About This Quote
Source Play: The Children’s Crusade, 1995
The quote satirically claims that madness is a healthy, artistic force, while conventional norms (like diet) are harmful; it critiques modern art’s self‑destruction and the gap between artist and audience.
In simple terms: Madness fuels art, ordinary norms are oppressive.
Key Takeaway
Embrace creative disruption, question societal norms.
Themes
madness
art
modernism
rebellion
self‑destruction
Mood
provocative
ironic
defiant
Type
philosophical
satirical
cultural critique
When to use this quote
- gallery openings
- public protests
- self‑inflicted performance
- media interviews
Key Concepts
Existential critique
absurdism
performance art
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines art versus self‑destruction?
- How can we balance critique with responsibility?
A Different Perspective
The extreme view may alienate audiences and glorify self‑harm.
