ADM220: Art Criticism week one 24th January 2010

People say criticism is dead because of the triumph of capitalism.

High Art and the Bourgeoisie

The critic and good taste

 to be in the upper middle class, you are expected to have “good taste”
 the critic is the person who dictates and judges tastes. To deem what is good or bad.
 The critic is the person is a consumer guide. To give the and usher the public about what is
good or not.
 The critic is supposed to be the expert.

Quality and Judgement

 When we criticise art, we are passing comments about what we know and feel about art and
showing our opinions on the quality.
 Sucks/rocks/stars/thumbs-up  the critic hates to have his opinions reduced to
stars/thumbs-up.
 High/Low Culture.  going back to the idea of “good taste” not everything can be reviewed
and critiqued. Now, however, due to the internet and popular media, EVERYTHING can be
reviewed.

the power of review

 Frank Rich, the NYT.

 It is believed that, if Rich pans your musical, your show would fail and vice versa. In modern
times, this is an extremity.
 In the past, it was more common for critiques and review to wield power on stuff.

Hype machine/blockbuster

 The media can overcome and bypass the critiques. Because of how much and how big the
corporations invest in film and media. Things cannot afford to fail and critiques are eclipsed.
 Blockbusters are termed as the “defining thing” for events. Despite how much bad press, the
blockbusters are not to fail WTF
 Everyone is a critic because of the internet. In the past, nobody can find out anything about
any movie or art unless it is from the newspapers e.g. from 1992. Now, everyone trust what
they see on facebook, social media sites. From Google, people can read up different reviews
from different newspapers or online review sites on subjects/movies/arts/books.
 People who spend their entire life critiquing certain subjects are the past. Their opinions are
no longer as valued. Their jobs are no longer as credible. Critics are losing power.
Are critical opinions even important??

 The critics in the shows/newspapers/media are important because it is a way to double

check our own opinions. If we missed anything out, if we were right.
 Reality programmes are powered not by the performances, it is moved by the judgement
and critiques that follow it.
 We are now defined by what the things around us, what we like are what we surround
ourselves in. We define ourself so much critical judgement and critical opinion.
 As a critic, it defines them to judge cultural landscape. They are who people look up to for
opinions.
 We don’t even say what we mean. Dishonest opinions to flatter someone we know.
 We might like something for just the general direction, and respect it. But it might not
necessarily be good. It just strikes a chord with the critic.
 Local and Foreign productions have different judgement categories by judging through
different lenses.

Criticsm comes with conditions and contingencies.

 Xxx x xx x x x x

What about the ART CRITIC?

 The Market  the market for art has plenty of power to influence the art circulating
in the market.
 Critics take a position  Every critic has a position. E.g. American Idol, three judges,
three preferences. Critics forms the idea about what art is for and how is it needed.
 Artist = God  he moves in mysterious ways. The Critic is supposed to explain what
the Artist intends to communicate.
 I.A. Richards: the job of the critic is to “articulate and exact correspondence between the
author’s originary experience and its communicated expression.
 Art is singular, artist is the master of meaning, critic unravels the truth with his opinions and
experience
 “the meaningful encounter” the encounter between the critic and the art. How did the critic
meet the art, how did it fill his senses, how did it make him contemplate about the
possibilities of the work.
 Criticism creating meaning what did the critic say, what was the opinion of the critic about
the art which lends new meaning to the art which the artisit did not intend. It is a positive
spin on the art.
 Anti-meaning, experimental, expressionistic, avant-garde  the obscurity of the art, the
artist’s non-traditional ways makes it hard for critics to critique. Or accurately base an
opinion.
 Art = Form, Criticism = Formalism. The project changes. Explained later in the semester.
  Criticism = Art = Creative/performative  the critic’s personal tastes and opinions shape
the critiques. Eg. Jeremy Clarkson’s position about cars is great entertainment.
 Fixed positions vs fluidity and evolving ideas.

The Basics.

What does a critic do?

1. Describes. What it looks like what it feels like.

2. Articulates a response personal or general opinion about the work
3. Context  the expertise of the critic to list the history of the work, artist. It is something
unique a critic can bring
4. Judegement.  is good enough for the critic?

7types of Art Critic

1. Catalogue Essays.
2. Academic Treatise  being used as a arguement in academic writing
3. Cultural Criticism
4. .Conservative Harangue usually something highly critical of the art
5. Philosopher’s esay  used as support to arguements in academic writing
6. Descriptive oftenly nicely written, very few judgement.
7. Poetic Art Critcism 

Peter Plagens  “At a cross crossroads, 2005”

Crisis of Art Criticism.

1. Proliferation  nobody reads

2. Timidity  People are reticent to say what they think for visual art. Different for film.
3. Difficulty 

Course Outline

1. History of Art Criticism

2. Criticism in discussion

HOMEWORK FOR WEEK TWO:

1. Find a piece of contemporary art criticism online. Not too short

2. Study how its constructed what arguements does it make does the reviewer have a position.
3. Be prepared to talk about it next week in a quick presentation
4. Send me the link by Friday so I can have a look too
5. Bring the and mp3 and music and headphones for next week. Don’t forget.