Artist Quote by Kalup Linzy
“When I stepped back from the gallery I was in a phase where I thought I wasn't going to be making work for a gallery context for a while. People were like, "You should never leave a gallery if you didn't have somewhere else to go," but I wasn't trying to disrespect the gallerists in that way.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Art Talk with Kalup Linzy, 2018
The artist stepped away from gallery expectations, choosing a personal creative pause despite external pressure to stay within the gallery system.
In simple terms: An artist can pause gallery work to explore new directions despite others' advice.
Key Takeaway
Allow yourself creative breaks without feeling disloyal to institutions.
Themes
artistic freedom
career breaks
industry pressure
creative autonomy
self‑direction
Mood
thoughtful
determined
Type
creative
career
When to use this quote
- personal sabbatical
- portfolio development
- new medium experimentation
- networking
- public speaking
Key Concepts
artist identity
institutional critique
creative cycles
Questions to Reflect On
- What does a creative pause mean for you?
- How can you maintain relevance while stepping back?
A Different Perspective
Leaving galleries may reduce visibility and financial stability.
![“I was trying to release emotions, exercise emotions, and then I entered the art world. Even after grad school, some of [the earlier works] were still lingering in my head. I realized there were some pieces where I felt that I had to respond to the criticism.” quote by Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/694/kalup-linzy-20386_art_i-was-trying-to-release-emotions-exercis_170433.jpg)
![“I cast people from right around me. I was at my alma mater. It's special to have most of the graduate students in it [and] one professor, because I feel like in terms of this school, I was one of the few students lucky enough to break into the art industry or the contemporary art world.” quote by Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/71e/kalup-linzy-20386_actor_i-cast-people-from-right-around-me-i-was_524503.jpg)
![“I realized [using my own voice] is what creates the performance in the performance art and that's what helps creates the distance for the viewers, like the distance that I get when I step back.” quote by Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dfd/kalup-linzy-20386_art_i-realized-using-my-own-voice-is-what-cr_547494.jpg)
