--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wonder whether there is such a thing as…" description: "\"I wonder whether there is such a thing as critical art. I suppose there are portraits of people who could destroy you.\" — John Currin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/john-currin-23505_art_i-wonder-whether-there-is-such-a-thing-a_1634443.png" --- # I wonder whether there is such a thing as critical art. I… ![“I wonder whether there is such a thing as critical art. I suppose there are portraits of people who could destroy you.” quote by John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/john-currin-23505_art_i-wonder-whether-there-is-such-a-thing-a_1634443.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/john-currin-23505_art_i-wonder-whether-there-is-such-a-thing-a_1634443.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/john-currin-23505_art_i-wonder-whether-there-is-such-a-thing-a_1634443.png) > “I wonder whether there is such a thing as critical art. I suppose there are portraits of people who could destroy you.” [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critical art may portray destructive power, questioning its impact on viewers. **In simple terms:** Art can be powerful and harmful. Key Takeaway Consider art's influence critically. Themes art criticism power destruction Mood contemplative analytical Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - gallery exhibitions - media analysis - cultural studies - psychological effect Key Concepts aesthetic theory social impact Questions to Reflect On - What makes art 'critical'? - How does destructive imagery affect audiences? A Different Perspective Not all art aims to destroy; some inspire. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [Art, I suppose, is only for beginners, who have made up in their minds to be content with symbols rather than with what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/art-i-suppose-is-only-for-beginners-who-have-made-up-in-their-minds/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“Art, I suppose, is only for beginners, or else for those resolute dead-enders, who have made up their minds to be content with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/art-i-suppose-is-only-for-beginners-or-else-for-those-resolute-dead/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“Critical art is an art that aims to produce a new perception of the world, and therefore to create a commitment to its transformation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ranciere/critical-art-is-an-art-that-aims-to-produce-a-new-perception-of-the/) [Jacques Rancière](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ranciere/) > [Being critical of art is a way of showing art respect. No sports writer would say, "Well the Yankees had a great season this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/being-critical-of-art-is-a-way-of-showing-art-respect-no-sports/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [Being critical of art is a way of showing art respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/being-critical-of-art-is-a-way-of-showing-art-respect/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [Take the Money and Run? Can Political and Socio-Critical Art ‘Survive’?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/take-the-money-and-run-can-political-and-socio-critical-art-survive/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [Let's say Twitter existed during the Civil War. We would have a better understanding of people in the Confederacy who were against slavery, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/let-s-say-twitter-existed-during-the-civil-war-we-would-have-a-better/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [People don't have time to wait for somebody to paint their portraits anymore. The money is in photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mapplethorpe/people-don-t-have-time-to-wait-for-somebody-to-paint-their-portraits/) [Robert Mapplethorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mapplethorpe/) > [Many times I see you as a portrait of torture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/many-times-i-see-you-as-a-portrait-of-torture/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I wasn‘t—" I began. I didn‘t—" He began. How charming," V‘lane cut us off. His voice arrived before he did. "The very portrait of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-wasn-t-i-began-i-didn-t-he-began-how-charming-v-lane-cut-us-off-his/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow. Every job is a self portrait of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/unless-you-try-to-do-something-beyond-what-you-have-already-mastered/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [In a portrait, you always leave part of yourself behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/in-a-portrait-you-always-leave-part-of-yourself-behind/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [In the past there were too many portraits of Chairman Mao in China. They were hung everywhere. That was not proper and it didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deng-xiaoping/in-the-past-there-were-too-many-portraits-of-chairman-mao-in-china/) [Deng Xiaoping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deng-xiaoping/) > [In 1984, I was contacted by Michael Taylor, who had won a commission from a sponsor and decided he would like to paint a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/in-1984-i-was-contacted-by-michael-taylor-who-had-won-a-commission/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by John Currin > [There is a fascination with violence and power in all modernism, and I sort of saw classic modernism as being more similar to Wyndham…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/there-is-a-fascination-with-violence-and-power-in-all-modernism-and-i/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [A lot of times maturing as an artist is just starting to do the things you like to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/a-lot-of-times-maturing-as-an-artist-is-just-starting-to-do-the/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [I think a big problem with art school is that it makes people feel like they have to be interested in everything that's of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/i-think-a-big-problem-with-art-school-is-that-it-makes-people-feel/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [There is, literally and figuratively, not a gold standard. That's almost as big a problem in art as in the financial world. How do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/there-is-literally-and-figuratively-not-a-gold-standard-that-s-almost/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [Instead of last man standing, it'll be last man smiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/instead-of-last-man-standing-it-ll-be-last-man-smiling/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [There's nothing worse than people talking about theories and humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/there-s-nothing-worse-than-people-talking-about-theories-and-humor/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [Your style is who you are when you’re not trying to be clever or better than you actually are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/your-style-is-who-you-are-when-you-re-not-trying-to-be-clever-or/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [I think a lot of people take a scholarly approach where they feel like you're supposed to study things that depress you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/i-think-a-lot-of-people-take-a-scholarly-approach-where-they-feel/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [When I went to college, and I went to art school, I started to realize that Warhol was cool and that pop art was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/when-i-went-to-college-and-i-went-to-art-school-i-started-to-realize/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [Painting is like being a lawyer and attacking a corporation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/painting-is-like-being-a-lawyer-and-attacking-a-corporation/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [I suppose the good artists, the righteous artists, somehow manage to be exuberant, and the embarrassed artist has this idea that everybody has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/i-suppose-the-good-artists-the-righteous-artists-somehow-manage-to-be/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [I've always found paintings of nudes depressing because they can't compete with photographs. The grainiest photograph of some girl, a blurry Polaroid - you'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/i-ve-always-found-paintings-of-nudes-depressing-because-they-can-t/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [There is no misery in art. All art is about saying yes, and all art is about its own making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/there-is-no-misery-in-art-all-art-is-about-saying-yes-and-all-art-is/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [I think what I do is find a cliché and try to believe in it, try to get to where I don't laugh at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/i-think-what-i-do-is-find-a-clich-and-try-to-believe-in-it-try-to-get/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [You have to like everything that you're painting. Maybe on a narrative level it seems harsh... but I like everything in all my paintings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/you-have-to-like-everything-that-you-re-painting-maybe-on-a-narrative/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) [Explore all 26 John Currin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) ## 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 > [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 wonder whether there is such a thing as critical art. 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