I was mocking Tom Wolfe's attempts to write erotic prose a couple of days ago, but I do like his earlier work. 'The Painted Word', which mercilessly dissects the pretensions of the New York art scene and the incestuous coterie of critics and dealers that fostered it, is one of the funniest and most discerning books about modern art ever written. It should be compulsory reading for every art student or teacher who refuses to admit that the emperor is, in fact, stark bollock naked.

'We may take it as a principle at this point that collectors of contemporary art do not want to buy highly abstract art unless it's the only game in town. They will always prefer realistic art instead -- as long as someone in authority assures them that it is (a) new, and (b) not realistic.'
Tom Wolfe