--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I did two years at art school in…" description: "\"I did two years at art school in criticism and curatorial practice, but I dropped out because I was frustrated that there was this hierarchy where I co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/petra-collins-4546_art_i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-critici_883714.jpg" --- # I did two years at art school in criticism and curatorial… ![“I did two years at art school in criticism and curatorial practice, but I dropped out because I was frustrated that there was this hierarchy where I couldn't do anything or ask questions.” quote by Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/petra-collins-4546_art_i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-critici_883714.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/petra-collins-4546_art_i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-critici_883714.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/petra-collins-4546_art_i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-critici_883714.jpg) > “I did two years at art school in criticism and curatorial practice, but I dropped out because I was frustrated that there was this hierarchy where I couldn't do anything or ask questions.” [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She left art school because hierarchical structures stifled inquiry and creative freedom. **In simple terms:** Hierarchies blocked her curiosity. Key Takeaway Seek environments that value questioning. Themes education creativity hierarchy Mood critical determined Type personal career When to use this quote - choosing a career path - academic decisions - creative collaborations Key Concepts artistic freedom institutional critique personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives could she have pursued? - How can institutions become less hierarchical? A Different Perspective Leaving may limit networking opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Ask questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-questions/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Criticism Curatorial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism-curatorial-1076930/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Frustrated Hierarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustrated-hierarchy-1076929/) [Hierarchy Couldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hierarchy-couldn-1076928/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Practice Dropped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice-dropped-1076931/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-criticism-1076932/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-years/) ## Related quotes > [“The Stealthy School of Criticism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-gabriel-rossetti/the-stealthy-school-of-criticism/) [Dante Gabriel Rossetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-gabriel-rossetti/) > [The most subversive people are those who ask questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-most-subversive-people-are-those-who-ask-questions/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [“You ask questions. You take your life seriously, but you don't take yourself too seriously. You're going to take over the world, and change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/you-ask-questions-you-take-your-life-seriously-but-you-don-t-take/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [I feel like a good director provokes you to ask questions about your character, but doesn't answer them for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-reed/i-feel-like-a-good-director-provokes-you-to-ask-questions-about-your/) [Crystal Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-reed/) > [“This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem and responding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/this-was-a-success-in-itself-but-it-came-with-an-added-and-unexpected/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“It’s funny how the devout pretend like they want people to ask questions, but really they only want you to ask the questions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tal-m-klein/it-s-funny-how-the-devout-pretend-like-they-want-people-to-ask/) [Tal M. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tal-m-klein/) > [...all the answers are but waiting for us while we, poor fools, ask questions and wait for the secrets of God to open themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-asad/all-the-answers-are-but-waiting-for-us-while-we-poor-fools-ask/) [Muhammad Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-asad/) > [For the most part, if somebody approaches me and says, 'I'd like to interview you,' who am I to say no, when I spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/for-the-most-part-if-somebody-approaches-me-and-says-i-d-like-to/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [I feel really strongly about not wanting to overly guide the reader about what he or she should think. I really trust the reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/i-feel-really-strongly-about-not-wanting-to-overly-guide-the-reader/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“you do that all the time you know. you ask me questions when you know the answer will piss you off. ask me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-do-that-all-the-time-you-know-you-ask-me-questions-when-you-know/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [What makes us human, I think, is an ability to ask questions, a consequence of our sophisticated spoken language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-makes-us-human-i-think-is-an-ability-to-ask-questions-a/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [I was allowed to believe things that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-was-allowed-to-believe-things-that-weren-t-true-and-i-would-ask/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) ## More by Petra Collins > [Success doesn't happen overnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/success-doesn-t-happen-overnight/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [When you see stories about women that aren't being told by women, it can make you feel like you don't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/when-you-see-stories-about-women-that-aren-t-being-told-by-women-it/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [With social media and all the new technology, there's just more interfaces around and reminders to constantly be working on our body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/with-social-media-and-all-the-new-technology-there-s-just-more/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [Just being with a group of girls and experiencing sadness together - it's a pretty powerful thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/just-being-with-a-group-of-girls-and-experiencing-sadness-together-it/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [I remember being 12 or 13 and reading 'Seventeen' and 'CosmoGirl.' They were all about self-improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/i-remember-being-12-or-13-and-reading-seventeen-and-cosmogirl-they/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [I'm used to seeing women being degraded, slut shamed, harassed for what they look like. Even the most powerful women in the world are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/i-m-used-to-seeing-women-being-degraded-slut-shamed-harassed-for-what/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [My mom had been a script supervisor in Hungary, but you can't just jump into that in Canada without knowing any English. She worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/my-mom-had-been-a-script-supervisor-in-hungary-but-you-can-t-just/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [I started out taking photos of my friends on, like, disposable cameras, and I documented my younger sister and her friends all through high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/i-started-out-taking-photos-of-my-friends-on-like-disposable-cameras/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [There's definitely a romanticism of youth, like, everywhere. Specifically with women, they kind of only exist between the age of 15 to 25.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/there-s-definitely-a-romanticism-of-youth-like-everywhere/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [Hashtag activism is a catalyst, but things have to actually happen in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/hashtag-activism-is-a-catalyst-but-things-have-to-actually-happen-in/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [Social media has been such a big important thing for young artists and minorities because it's a community to get noticed. It's having an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/social-media-has-been-such-a-big-important-thing-for-young-artists/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [I'm either working or I'm lying in bed the entire day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/i-m-either-working-or-i-m-lying-in-bed-the-entire-day/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [The selfie is a powerful tool, but it can also be dangerous, and I am fascinated with the process of it because there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/the-selfie-is-a-powerful-tool-but-it-can-also-be-dangerous-and-i-am/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [I look for subjects who have stories to tell - who are looking to tell something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/i-look-for-subjects-who-have-stories-to-tell-who-are-looking-to-tell/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) > [It's so important for women to create images of women - or any group, at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/it-s-so-important-for-women-to-create-images-of-women-or-any-group-at/) [Petra Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) [Explore all 109 Petra Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/) ## 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 did two years at art school in criticism and curatorial practice, but I dropped out because I was frustrated that there was this hierarchy where I couldn't do anything or ask questions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Petra Collins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-criticism-and-curatorial-practice/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-criticism-and-curatorial-practice/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/petra-collins-4546_art_i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-critici_883714.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/petra-collins-4546_art_i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-critici_883714.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e2/petra-collins-4546_art_i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-critici_883714.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I did two years at art school in criticism and curatorial practice, but I dropped out because I was…” — Petra Collins", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Petra Collins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-collins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I did two years at art...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-criticism-and-curatorial-practice/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-collins/i-did-two-years-at-art-school-in-criticism-and-curatorial-practice/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```