An artwork is supposed to delight, stimulate, and give joy. Ania Diduch talks to the New York critic Jerry Saltz about the essence of art.

They say New York never sleeps, but they do not say why. The 2023 answer to this phenomenon is simple to the point of being disappointing: New Yorkers never fall asleep because they drink billions of gallons of coffee. So does Jerry Saltz. An art critic and author of two books on the dynamics of the art world, he injects himself with at least 150 ounces of coffee a day. The investment pays off: when he isn’t drinking black magic, he’s roaming the country, visiting art exhibitions, writing, or posting on his Instagram account (with over 600,000 followers). He jokes about his coffee addiction, kneels in front of his favorite paintings, takes a lot of selfies, and encourages artists to believe in the power of their creativity by posting compelling mindset tips. He is as approachable as it gets, and his digital presence almost identically matches his real-life personality. The difference is, he is much funnier in person.

Ania Diduch: I wanted to ask you about the healing and transformative power of art. After all, it is because of art that you found drive after years of struggling as a painter and truck driver.

Jerry Saltz: Art changed