I moved here in 1979, just before he was killed. I saw John Lennon walking down Madison Avenue with Yoko Ono and they were the sum of all things. So I was happy here. But then I went about two years and I was in my late 20s by then. And I self exile. Became a long distance truck driver and left the art world for about 10 years or so. It was really sad because the best physical psychic spiritual social experiences I had ever had in my life were hanging out with other artists late at night. All arts are an all volunteer army. That's always a deep content in my work,. I think I know what you feel like you who made
Imagine working as an artist for a decade only to burn out, melt down, and vanish from that world to spend 10 years driving a truck. Then, having never written before the age of 40, returning to that same world, but this time as an art critic for some of the biggest magazines and arbiters of taste in that domain. Having never been formally trained or degreed or even studied art in a formal way. How is that even possible?
That is the story of today’s guest, Jerry Saltz, the senior art critic at New York magazine and Vulture, and the author of the New York Times bestseller How to Be an Artist. In his most recent book Art Is Life, Jerry draws on two decades of work to offer a real-time survey of contemporary art as a barometer of our times, arguing for the importance of the fearless artist—reminding us that art is a kind of channeled voice of human experience, a necessary window onto our times. The result is an openhearted and irresistibly readable appraisal by one of our most important cultural observers.
You can find Jerry at: New York Magazine | Instagram
If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Maria Garcia about the art of performance and how it can change millions of lives.
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