David Rockefeller

I suspect that many corporations have begun to understand that they have an important role to play in the lives of their communities, and that allocating funds to support local groups helps them discharge that function and also burnish their image.

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.

The Christian ethic played an essential part in my upbringing.

When I see something I like, I buy it, but I do not look for it madly.

The Japanese have a wonderful sense of design and a refinement in their art. They try to produce beautiful paintings with the minimum number of strokes.

The Japanese banks are not having an easy time as they once had.

They decided to establish a museum of modern art where works by contemporary artists would be shown. Mother was viewed as a very progressive person, and not everybody liked the paintings she bought.

It’s like telling Michelangelo: ‘I know you painted this dope angel, that was really good, but Michelangelo, I don’t think you can paint a cow.’

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

I don’t want to put too many boxes on it because the work speaks louder than words.

Playing with freedom can only come after a certain amount of foundational study.

Good art will speak to you if you give it a chance.

A poem is a naked person… Some people say that I am a poet.

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

If you hold onto the beauty and inspiration and the clarity that is music, you will have an anchor, you will not be too far swayed by what the world is.

We’ll buy some drugs and watch a band and jump in a river holding hands.

Truth exists in art.

I got more publicity for not doing a festival than for doing the festival.

Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.

The arts are at the center of a nation’s purpose and a test of civilization.

I hope the Guggenheim plan will be revived.