Random play

Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, curator of the 2008 Biennale of Sydney, on art curatorship and feminism:

"The thing that I really find wrong as a curator is to frame and bracket communities, or groups. So as a feminist I've never done an exhibition of art by women, I think that's anti-feminist to do that."


John Hurrell, sensitive art critic at large, comparing himself to one of the architects of the Third Reich while considering Michael Harrison's current exhibition at the Ivan Anthony Gallery:

"Like Reichsmarschall Gōring who once said "Whenever I hear the word ‘Culture’ I want to reach for my revolver,” one can sometimes bristle at too much sensitivity. It can be cloying, and make you long for something raucous and deliciously vulgar. A fistful of salt chucked into the bowl of sugar."


Jonathan Jones, chief art blogger at the Guardian suggesting that easy art is for weaklings and losers:

"If an artist can translate the meaning and purpose of a work into easily understandable words, it means one of two things. Either the artist is lying, in order to ease the way with patrons and funders; or the artist is a fool."


Jonathan Griffin, assistant editor of Frieze, on "plenty" of works he saw at this year's Manifesta:

"the aesthetic equivalent of eating ten cheese crackers with a dry mouth"