--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Calling a young artist 'great' these days…" description: "\"Calling a young artist 'great' these days can give one the heebie-jeebies: The word has been denatured in the past decade.\" — Jerry Saltz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/jerry-saltz-1712_art_calling-a-young-artist-great-these-days_931664.png" --- # Calling a young artist 'great' these days can give one the… ![“Calling a young artist 'great' these days can give one the heebie-jeebies: The word has been denatured in the past decade.” quote by Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/jerry-saltz-1712_art_calling-a-young-artist-great-these-days_931664.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/jerry-saltz-1712_art_calling-a-young-artist-great-these-days_931664.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24d/jerry-saltz-1712_art_calling-a-young-artist-great-these-days_931664.png) > “Calling a young artist 'great' these days can give one the heebie-jeebies: The word has been denatured in the past decade.” [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. The term “great” has been overused, diluting its meaning and causing skepticism toward contemporary artists. **In simple terms:** Overuse of “great” weakens its impact. Key Takeaway Use precise language when evaluating art. Themes art criticism language culture skepticism Mood critical analytical Type professional artistic When to use this quote - gallery reviews - art school curricula - media coverage - social media commentary Key Concepts semantic dilution valuation standards artist reputation Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess artistic merit today? - What alternatives to “great” can you use? A Different Perspective Some may argue “great” still holds value when context is clear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) ## Related quotes > [“in the past decade have we really been able to quantify and qualify the extraordinary relationship between physical fitness and mental fitness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-perlmutter/in-the-past-decade-have-we-really-been-able-to-quantify-and-qualify/) [David Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-perlmutter/) > [Given what the media have put the country through this past decade, it must come as a surprise to most Americans that the press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mudd/given-what-the-media-have-put-the-country-through-this-past-decade-it/) [Roger Mudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mudd/) > [“The company’s greatest achievement over the past decade has been to win over the young,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tibor-michaels/the-company-s-greatest-achievement-over-the-past-decade-has-been-to/) [Tibor Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tibor-michaels/) > [“the past decade or more. 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