Quotations of Clement Greenberg, Art Critic/Essayist

“Inspiration alone belongs together to the individual; everything else, including skill, can now be acquired by anyone. Inspiration remains the only factor in the creation of a successful work of art that cannot be copied or imitated. The question now asked …is no longer what constitutes art…but what irreducibly constitutes good art as such. Or rather, what is the ultimate source of value or quality in art?” “…not skill, training, or anything else having to do with execution or performance, but conception alone. Culture or taste may be a necessary condition of conception, but conception alone is decisive. Conception can also be called invention, inspiration, or even intuition…” (1962)

“…all profoundly original art looks ugly at first.” (1945)