Arts

Don't wait until they tell you you are ready. Get in there. Show it. Do it.

Develop your own compass, and trust it. Take risks. Dare to fail. Remember, the first person through the wall always gets bloody.

The gap is the thing that will drive you. For the first couple years you make stuff, it's just not that good. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you.

If you don't know it's impossible, it's easier to do.

Make good art. Husband runs off with a politician? Make good art. Leg crushed and then eaten by mutated boa constrictor? Make good art.

And now go, and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here.

I have three words for you. Persistence, persistence... persistence.

A wonderful curator and the founder of the New Museum in New York named Marsha Tucker said, 'Do what scares you.' Well... it scared me... and I did it.

Keep in mind what Victor Hugo said: 'Popularity is the crumbs of greatness.'

I waited a long time out in the world before I gave myself permission to fail. Please don't even bother asking. Don't bother telling the world you are ready. Show it. Do it.

Everyone you need is in this room. These are the shiny, more important people. We can't help it — we burn very brightly. Please don't ever stop.

We're all going to get cancelled one day. So do the show you want to do.