An Object Of Beauty Quotes
"I am tired, so very tired of thinking about Lacey Yeager, yet I worry that unless I write her story down, and see it bound and tidy on my bookshelf, I will be unable to ever write about anything else."
"Whenever I attempted it, I found myself in a convoluted rhetorical tangle from which there was no exit."
"It was apparent to everyone that Lacey was headed somewhere, though her path often left blood in the water."
"She could soothe or incite in the name of support: 'Honey, get over it,' or, conversely, 'Honey, get even.'"
"Her knack for causing heartbreak was innate, but her vitality often made people forgive her romantic misdeeds."
"I will tell you her story from my own recollections, from conversations I conducted with those around her, and, alas, from gossip: thank God the page is not a courtroom."
"If you occasionally wonder how I know about some of the events I describe in this book, I don’t. I have found that—just as in real life—imagination sometimes has to stand in for experience."
"Lacey made men feel that she was interested only in that special, unique conflation of DNA that was you, and that at any moment she was, just because you were so fascinating, going to sleep with you."
"She was a naval commander knowing the location of all her boats."
"I’m thinking of getting a dog. One that’s near death. Less of a commitment."
"In the art world even well-dressed, intelligent-looking men could look like misfits."
"I think my breasts are slightly low, so I’m vulnerable if you want to get even."
"I love the way the moonlight is reflected on the water."
"She saw every action as bearing a response: every penny spent, somehow, would have a return."
"It’s true, that both you and paintings are layered."
"Well, they’re idiots! They’re not art people. These people are not art people."
"You just say Pilot Mouse and he’s either heard of him or he hasn’t, I guess."
"The antics of the long dead, like Duchamp sending a signed urinal to an art show or Salvador Dalí giving an interview with a lamb chop on his head, had transformed in time from pranks to lore."
"You and I see things again and again whether we want to or not."
"You want to know how I think art should be taught to children? Take them to a museum and say, ‘This is art, and you can’t do it.’"
"Lacey, you carried something back. I didn’t even know what it was. You have to stay out of this."
"I would like to see a kid who could paint a Jackson Pollock. In a half second, any pro could tell the difference."
"I didn’t want there to be a crime. It would have been so much more fun."
"What would I be if I didn’t do it myself?" - Lacey
"Do you need money for your gallery? I’ll be happy to help out." - Patrice
"I’m dating a vibrator. I think I love it… him… whatever." - Lacey
"Nobody needs art. Nobody except for you. You need it." - Lacey
"I thought I’d check in. Nobody can reach anybody." - Carey
"You know it’s a good picture... Still, you know it’s a good picture." - Lacey
"I’m moving into a new space... Like Andrea Rosen and Matthew Marks... well, not that big, but it’ll have clout." - Lacey
"I’m taking it off hold in thirty seconds." - Lacey
"When you start in the art business, you can see that there are ways to illegitimately cut corners. And because you’re so desperate to make a sale, you do. Then you come to a crossroads and you decide the type of dealer you’re going to be. I cut a few corners early on, then I realized being straightforward was so much easier. So whatever you did, I hope you moved on."
"That’s what I learned from you, and yes, I moved on."
"You never throw anything away, do you, Lacey?"
"The fever is over, and without the fever…"
"God, I’ve seen thousands of paintings. High and low."
"I think Lacey is the kind of person who will always be okay."
"It was so lovely to finally read an essay about art that did not mention money. Congratulations on a refreshing take on things, and I hope you’re doing well."