"When I first read this quote, I wondered about the context. Was Hockney referring to his interest in the possible use of optics by the old masters or staging in photography? Was he simply commenting about artistic license and the objective point of view, or was it more personal? Let's imagine he's speaking of artistic process. Artists have leeway and they use artifice, but I wouldn't think of that as 'cheating.' Art does begin with desire, but desire for what? Expression, yes. Beauty? Probably - it's enticing. A friend, a painter, once said that she was wary of becoming 'dutiful' to her imagery. I've always liked that. Sometimes a piece seems to be rendered perfectly, and yet it lacks vibrancy. Part of you wants to hold on to the original achievement, but the truth is you need to disrupt it to make it work. The concept, the intuitive view, and the final impact are key. Art isn't just a means to an end, it's any means to an end."

-Kay Kahn