"I tried to oppose the academic to the marketplace"

In this quote, Ad Reinhardt is revealing his attempt to set apart and produce a divide between the academic world of art as well as its commercialization in the market. He likely believed that the commercialization of art as well as the quest of profit impede the true objective as well as worth of art, which is to evoke psychological and intellectual actions from its target market. By opposing the academic to the market, he is suggesting that imaginative expression needs to be different from monetary incentives as well as instead be focused on creating purposeful and impactful experiences for those who watch it.