"Modern art is what happens when painters stop looking at girls and persuade themselves that they have a better idea"

John Ciardi's quote is a humorous take on the modern art movement. He recommends that modern-day art is the outcome of painters no longer taking a look at ladies and rather believing that they have a better concept. This indicates that modern art is a product of the artist's ego, rather than an authentic effort to develop something stunning. It also suggests that modern art is not always a reflection of truth, however rather a reflection of the artist's own ideas and beliefs. This quote is a funny method of mentioning the often-ridiculous nature of modern art, and how it can be an item of the artist's own ego. It also functions as a suggestion that art need to be created with a real attempt to develop something gorgeous, instead of just to satisfy the artist's own ego.