Selections from art is (Speaking Portraits) (without photos) Meredith Monk I really believe that art has the power to heal. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that it couldn’t be something that a lot of people think is very ugly or all these controversial pieces that seem like they are violent; they seem like they are not obviously so life-affirming. I basically think that most artists work out of love and if something that is a very disturbing work wakes you up in a way, that’s definitely part of the process of life. I mean pain is definitely part of the process of life. And I think that ultimately it’s a life-affirming process, and in the world we are living in now which is designed to distract, or divert, and has a lot to do with instant gratification, commodification, lack of patience and lack of depth of involvement or commitment, I think that art itself, just to experience that, if the work is immersive and if it is generous work, is something that is kind of an antidote to what we are being fed in the culture as to the aspect of our minds. Gary Hill art now right now right behind now art is art is beauty undeniably beauty breathtaking disturbing art needs to happen art is happening art is being art art Ann Hamilton I think art is an act of attention. It can be an act of language, or it can be an act of material. It can be an act of listening, an act of seeing something, an act of touch. Art can be material but it doesn’t have to be. I think it’s moving from something you know to something that you don’t know and so art is maybe always that place of inbetween. Alison Knowles Art is the ultimate wilderness. Once you find your way over rocks and through the woods everything is free and equal. Marina Abramovic art is melancholic pathetic monstrous danger bloody risky disturbing revolting dramatic communistic sharing interacting meditative secure smelly ridiculous rigorous fundamental mystic shiny spiritual aboriginal blue red yellow green violet white black grey pink moderate excessive suspicious criminal unnecessary political social Buddhistic hot warm icy a good temperature