In German you can say whatever and make it sound intellectual. Yet, if you’re not German, even when you master the language, it’s almost impossible to imitate it. It must be connected to a certain twirl or bending in the brain, caused by education. I can go to a talk in German and understand only half of what is being said, whereas everybody else seems to get it. You could say it’s the same with art speak in English, but in English it sounds obviously empty, whereas in German it does sound deep. S., who works at the museum bookstore, is very good at talking this talk. Last Saturday, when discussing a show that is at the moment hyping at the museum, he said: “Es stellt die Realität des Betrachters in Frage.” (It questions the reality of the spectator.”) You can say this about almost any art work, he nodded.