Hans Haacke Quotes
Artists and art institutions have to learn how to play hardball. A democratic society needs a democratic art and we have a right to demand it.

Quotes to Explore
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Never speak to an invalid from behind, nor from the door, nor from any distance from him, nor when he is doing anything. The official politeness of servants in these things is so grateful to invalids, that many prefer, without knowing why, having none but servants about them.
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When the Taiwan Relations Act passed in 1979, our biggest concern was preventing the use of military force against Taiwan. Little did we know that our friends on Taiwan could so effectively use the space created by our friendship to revolutionize their political system.
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I still remember my first Giacometti exhibition, and going back to the museum every day, whenever I could, to look again and again at these long, thin stick figures, so beautiful, so graceful. That, I think, was the moment I became really obsessed by art.
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In our brief national history we have shot four of our presidents, worried five of them to death, impeached one and hounded another out of office. And when all else fails, we hold an election and assassinate their character.
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I have definitely worked on that... being efficient and also being smarter with my pressure.
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Elvis was a big influence to my music, but Loretta Lynn was, as well.
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It's a funny thing about rap, that when you say 'I' into the microphone, it's like a public confession. It's very strange.
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If I can help a kid discover a liking, or even a passion for music in their life, then that's a wonderful thing.
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It's not that I'm opposed to doing a big-budget action movie. But it has to be the right project.
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Anger is the enemy of non-violence and pride is a monster that swallows it up.
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I think if you are young and you have children, you still have so much to prove. When you have children later in life, you lose a bit of that urge for working.
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To insult someone we call him 'bestial. For deliberate cruelty and nature, 'human' might be the greater insult.
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I find the whole situation of confronting an audience terrifying.
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I train for whatever happens. I'm prepared for wherever the fight goes.
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An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises.
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I've had situations where producers would be like, 'Could you meet me? Take the train; don't tell your parents.'
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Everybody around the world wants to send their kids to our universities. But nobody wants to send their kids here to public school.
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Political theatre presents an entirely different set of problems. Sermonising has to be avoided at all cost. Objectivity is essential. The characters must be allowed to breathe their own air. The author cannot confine and constrict them to satisfy his own taste or disposition or prejudice.
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Basically, my idea and explorations on fashion have not changed; however, I believe I'm going state-of-the-art on fashion.
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I can play the trumpet. Before I became an actor, I wanted to be the next Louis Armstrong. I started young and got to grade seven. When I turned 13, everyone started whipping out guitars, looking cool and joining rock bands, so I stopped playing.
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Hip-hop is such a disposable art form from a business standpoint. It never treats its artists as art; it never treats its product as art.
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The whole art of flirting has simply disappeared. This probably will do further damage. If we're going to become so uptight that we can't say nice things to each other, then we've had it!
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I always tell students that you've got to be practical. You do not need a dream. You need a purpose, something you can wake up to in the morning when the dream is dissipated.
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Artists and art institutions have to learn how to play hardball. A democratic society needs a democratic art and we have a right to demand it.