Marilyn Manson on Helnwein:

'Gottfried Helnwein is my mentor. His fight for expression and stance against oppression are reasons why I chose him as an artistic partner.

An artist that doesn't provoke will be invisible. Art that doesn't cause strong emotions has no meaning. Helnwein has that internalized.

Sean Penn on Helnwein:

Well, the world is a haunted house, and Helnwein at times is our tour guide through it.

In his work he is willing to take on the sadness, the irony, the ugliness and the beauty.

But not all of Gottfried's work is on a canvas. A lot of it is the way he's approached life. And it doesn't take someone knowing him to know that.

You take one look at the paintings and you say "this guy has been around." You can't sit in a closet – and create this. This level of work is earned.'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottfried_Helnwein