I like photographing dresses in windows. I actually wore a lot of dresses in the '70s. I like them on other people now. Patti Smith More Quotes by Patti Smith More Quotes From Patti Smith Trust is everything between two artists, or between subject and artist. You have to have trust or nothing good will come out of it. Patti Smith subjects artist two You can't work on that scale without trust. I learned that from working with Robert Mapplethorpe. Patti Smith without-trust scales I was at one of the lowest points of my life when we started this film [Dream of Life], except, of course, that I had two great children. But the film is not documenting a decline; it's documenting a rise up - first baby steps and then big steps up. The worst that could have ever happened to me had already happened. And so the film is on the ascent. And I think that gives it a nice spirit. Patti Smith dream baby children Steven's [Sebring] presence was not threatening; he told me that if I never wanted the footage to be seen by anyone, he would give it to me. So I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, and what I gained was his supportive energy and the supportive energy of his wife, who was sometimes the one schlepping the equipment or doing the sound. Patti Smith supportive wife giving I had met Michael Stipe, and he was such a kind person, and extremely understanding, so I asked him if he knew a photographer who would come to Detroit, where I lived, who would be child friendly and who would respect my home. Michael suggested Steven [ Sebring]. One day a knock came at my door, and when I opened it, there was Steven. He's been like a brother ever since. Patti Smith brother home children Steven [Sebring] just fell in with my family life. He helped me wash the dishes and play with the kids. I could tell that he was a person who understood families. Patti Smith my-family play kids I think that there is an air of experience and aesthetic sophistication that weaves in with the amateur aspects of the film [Dream of Life]; it gives the film a certain elegance. Patti Smith air dream thinking It's Steven's [Sebring] view of what he saw in traveling and working with me. But on another scale, I think the film [Dream of Life] is very humanistic: It touches on motherhood, death, birth, art, laundry, anger against the Bush administration... While I don't think it's the kind of film where one goes to find some of the darker, edgier aspects of life, the film was born of grief. Patti Smith grief dream art The whole process of working with Steven [Sebring] and being filmed by him helped me psychologically to get my feet back on the ground. Patti Smith whole process feet I think the film [Dream of Life] is life-affirming. Patti Smith life-is dream thinking I love being alive. I like being a human being. Patti Smith alive humans love-is The truth is, no matter how modest Steven [Sebring] is, he was obsessed with the outcome of the film [Dream of Life]. Every single frame was important to him. Patti Smith outcomes important dream Those were the things on my mind [stay healthy, take care of my kids and reestablish a relationship with the people], not career, money, drugs, sex, alcohol or fun. Not that there's anything wrong with any of those things, but they aren't in the film [Dream of Life], because that wasn't my life at the time. Patti Smith dream fun sex I wanted to remember the original energy; strip away all the glamour and limousines and tons of drugs. I wanted to get back to the revolutionary ideas, merging poetry and rhythm and rock and roll. Patti Smith rock-and-roll rocks ideas With the death of Robert Mapplethorpe, I had lost my main collaborator in taking photographs. So I didn't know who to work with. Patti Smith collaborators photograph lost I think it's good for people to see the positive beauty that can flower from the deepest grieving. Patti Smith flower grieving thinking I think masturbating is a really important function in art. People don't like to hear that kind of stuff, but it's true. Patti Smith people art thinking I always hope that young people will think for themselves and also most importantly, understand that they should judge themselves on their own merit, their good deeds, however simple, to not judge themselves by what they have materially, by what other people think of them, through social media. Patti Smith media simple thinking I don't wear makeup. I can't stand nothin' on my face. It's a phobia. It's not a platform. Patti Smith makeup platforms faces I don't wanna be equal with anybody. I wanna be above equal. I don't think most people are equal to me. I'd like to communicate with everybody; I'd like to do something universal, I'd like to have the hit record of the world. But that's not the same as being equal. Patti Smith records people thinking
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