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"Michele Robecchi:
Is failure an important element in your work? You once said that art failed.

Luc Tuymans:
Well, I don’t think you become an artist to win. You become an artist to lose. But you do it with style."

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It took me about twelve years to achieve the detachment that you see in my paintings today. The "Diagnostische Blick" series from 1992 was a crucial step. This harshness and detachment is something I've always desired in my work, and my shows are getting cooler and cooler. The work is becoming very foreign. I've never intended to create an aesthetic, but paradoxically that's what happens in the end. I think the work has also gotten clearer, and probably even more aggressive. Perhaps I won't be able to go on like this forever, but I've been able to create a steady stream of images for some time now. I probably had my time off when I stopped painting many years ago and produced films. Since then I've had the feeling that the more imagery I produce, the more images I need.