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A huge amount of twaddle is written about art. Mark Rothko suggests that his paintings express 'basic human emotion: tragedy, ecstacy, doom and so on.' This is pure hype. And it doesn't mean you can't pick up a Rothko print in your local doomladen IKEA.

The aim of a good painting is best summed up in the words of the song 'I'm not in Love' by the seventies art rockers 10 CC: 'I keep your picture on the wall, it hides a nasty stain that's lying there.'

I exaggerate, of course, but you get the idea.

But still, forget about tragedy, ecstacy, doom. Before you consider buying one of my paintings just ask yourself this: Do I like it? Will it look OK over the sofa? Can I afford it? (Corollary: Is it a rip off?)

Of the two contradictory statements at the start of this section I have to go along with Saatchi rather than Warhol. It's a tough job; but someone has to do it. But we must leave the last word to Salvador Dali. He summed up his position in a manner that could apply to many artists: 'The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad.'

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T: +31(0)365450582 M: +31(0)653675213 E: info@stevewhite.nl