It took me twenty years to get Steven Parrino's work. From the

In the words of Jerry Saltz, "It took me twenty years to get Steven Parrino's work. From the time I first saw his art, in the mid-eighties, I almost always dismissed it as mannered, Romantic, formulaic, conceptualist-formalist, heavy-metal boy-art abstraction," we are confronted with the profound complexity of both art and perception. Saltz speaks to the journey of understanding—how art, like life itself, often requires time and maturity to be truly comprehended. His admission of the slow realization that Parrino’s work held value challenges us to think about how we encounter the world and how we often dismiss what does not immediately make sense to us. In Saltz’s journey, we see the evolution of perception, the passage from ignorance to enlightenment, from dismissal to appreciation, and the wisdom that comes with that process.

The ancients were familiar with the idea of gaining wisdom over time. In the Greek tradition, Socrates famously said, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” This deep truth speaks to the human tendency to judge too quickly, to close the door on understanding before we fully explore what lies within. Socrates spent his life not assuming he knew all, but by seeking knowledge and questioning assumptions. Much like Saltz, who came to appreciate Parrino’s work only after two decades, Socrates recognized that true knowledge was not something one could grasp instantly, but something that required patience, reflection, and time to cultivate.

Consider the story of Plato’s Cave—the allegory that speaks to how we are often limited in our understanding by our own prejudices and perspectives. In this allegory, prisoners are chained in a cave, facing a wall, and can only see shadows cast by objects behind them. For them, these shadows are their reality, and they reject anything that goes beyond that. However, one prisoner escapes and discovers the world beyond the cave. He returns to tell the others, but they dismiss him, unable to accept the truth beyond their narrow view. Saltz’s twenty-year journey with Parrino’s art mirrors this process. He too was chained by his initial perceptions, only to eventually see beyond the surface and embrace the fuller complexity of Parrino’s work. This slow unraveling of understanding reflects the ancient wisdom that true insight often comes with time and the willingness to question.

The Romans, too, understood the importance of patience in gaining knowledge. Cicero, in his writings, emphasized the role of self-reflection and diligence in the pursuit of wisdom. For Cicero, learning was not a quick process, but one that demanded careful study, attention, and often, a shift in perspective. In the same way, Saltz’s slow realization of the value of Parrino’s art speaks to this Roman view—that one must remain open to changing one's mind, to revisiting that which was once dismissed, and to embracing the lessons that come with deeper engagement.

Saltz’s journey is also a reflection on the nature of art itself—how it is often misunderstood, even by those who are most attuned to it. The initial dismissal of Parrino’s work as “mannered”, “Romantic”, and “formulaic” represents the common impulse to categorize and label things too quickly. Art, much like life, is multifaceted and evolving. The very qualities Saltz initially rejected in Parrino’s art—the abstraction, the rock-and-roll influence, the postmodern conceptualism—are the same qualities that, upon deeper exploration, revealed the complexity and richness of the work. This teaches us that our first judgments are often limited, and that true understanding requires us to look beyond the surface and engage with patience and open-mindedness.

In the realm of modern art, we see the same process unfold again and again. The early works of Vincent van Gogh were widely rejected by critics during his lifetime. His bold use of color and expressive brushstrokes were considered unnatural and disjointed, yet today, his paintings are among the most revered in the world. Van Gogh’s journey, like Saltz’s, demonstrates the evolution of perception: what is initially rejected can later be recognized as deeply profound and visionary. This is the very essence of artistic and intellectual growth—the willingness to revisit, to reflect, and to allow the truth of something to unfold over time.

The lesson that Saltz’s quote offers is one of humility and growth. In our lives, we often encounter moments or ideas that we reject at first glance, simply because they do not conform to our current understanding. Yet, just as Saltz eventually came to appreciate Parrino’s work, we too must be willing to open our hearts and minds to ideas that challenge our initial judgments. It is only by doing so that we can evolve and grow, finding deeper meaning in the things we once dismissed. The process of coming to understand something—or someone—over time teaches us the importance of patience, open-mindedness, and the courage to confront our own limitations.

In your own journey, do not be quick to dismiss that which seems foreign or difficult to understand. Take the time to revisit ideas, people, or experiences that challenge you. Engage with them deeper, and allow time and reflection to reveal their hidden truths. Recognize that the wisdom of the ancients, from Socrates to Cicero, speaks not only to the pursuit of knowledge but to the transformative power of patience and openness. Just as Saltz came to understand the value of Parrino’s work over twenty years, so too can you uncover the profound beauty and meaning in the things you once thought you understood.