David Rockefeller

My grandfather, along with Carnegie, was a pioneer in philanthropy, which my father then practiced on a very large scale.

I am convinced that material things can contribute a lot to making one’s life pleasant, but, basically, if you do not have very good friends and relatives who matter to you, life will be really empty and sad and material things cease to be important.

Mother’s taste was eclectic and ranged from the ancient world to the contemporary from Europe to the U.S.

A museum has to renew its collection to be alive, but that does not mean we give on important old works.

By a museum, I assume you mean an institution dedicated to the events of Sept. 11 and the aftermath. If that is done with sensitivity, I think it would be most appropriate.

I never kept a diary, but I wrote detailed notes of my travels.

Everybody has that feeling when they look at a work of art and it’s right, that sudden familiarity, a sort of…recognition, as though they were creating it themselves, as though it were being created through them while they look at it or listen to it.

Art is not a thing; it is a way.

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.

I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.

He knows all about art, but he doesn’t know what he likes.

The essence of all Art is to have pleasure in giving pleasure.

Surrealism had a great effect on me because then I realised that the imagery in my mind wasn’t insanity. Surrealism to me is reality.

Mother’s interest in contemporary American artists emerged during the 1920s.

Which painting in the National Gallery would I save if there was a fire? The one nearest the door of course.

If you believe in your art and you love what you do, that energy will go out and people will respond.

People with talent are not interested in showing off behind another person.

Nothing will stop you from being creative so effectively as the fear of making a mistake.

The arts are not just a nice thing to have or to do if there is free time or if one can afford it. Rather, paintings and poetry, music and fashion, design and dialogue, they all define who we are as a people and provide an account of our history for the next generation.

There is only 1 difference between a madman and me. I am not mad.

Can anybody be given creativity? No. Only equipment to develop it if it’s in them in the first place.