Critiquing Art

Photomontages By David Hockney

Step One: Description

• To be able to critique a work of art, and to write a critique, one must first describe what you are talking about.

• Many times people will never actually SEE the work in person, so as the reviewer (and as someone about to form an opinion) the critter should be able to describe what he or she is looking at.

Context

Know the context in which the work was made

Information such as:• Artist’s name• Where are/were they when they made it?• Year it was made• Title, if it has one• Use, if it has one• Other pertinent information about the artist

The CONTEXT of the Artwork is part of the DESCRIPTION

Some of the context will come from

• Observation

Some will come from

• Research

Portrait by Chuck Close

Step 2: Analysis

• Ask yourself: Does this artwork reflect the context that you have discovered?

• Is the meaning clear?

• Does the description fit the meaning?

• Analysis is not SUBJECTIVE it is based on what you have FOUND OUT about the Artist, artwork and time period that the artwork was made (the context.)

Example: Joseph Cornell

Joseph CornellUntitled (The Hotel Eden)

•1945•Assemblage with Music Box•15x15 5/8 x 4 ¾•National Gallery of Canada,

Ottawa

Joseph CornellAmerican Artist

showed in New York with the surrealists although he did not feel that he shared the subconscious and dream

theories of the surrealists.

Although Cornell did tell, “mesmerizing complex stories with found objects and images in the self contained and magical worlds of his boxes.”Fineberg, Johnathan. Art Since 1940:Strategies if Being. New Jersey:

Prentice Hall) 1995. 30.

Joseph Cornell was inspired by:The art of Max ErnstCornell saw Ernsts’ work at the Julien Levy Gallery in 1931 - this is the same gallery that Cornell himself exhibited his work.

Zoomorphic Couple (Couple zoomorphe), 1933. Oil on canvas, 91.9 x 73.3 cm. Peggy Guggenheim Collection. 76.2553 PG 75. Max Ernst © 2003 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris.

souvenirs and postcards found

in Times Square

shops

Cornell was also influenced by:

Observation:

• What is in the box? What do you see? • Card – “Hotel Eden”• Bird• Ball (as in a bird cage?)• What else?• These things can be seen as symbols or signifiers that stand for something else…

Research:

Research tells us that:• Cornell was influenced by:• the Surrealists• Max Ernst• Souvenirs and postcards in Times Square• 1940’s • Collected Memories• Constructed many assemblage boxes• He attempted to collect from the world

immediately around him

What do you think Cornell was trying to communicate to people

who saw his work?

Then ask yourself:

Step 3: Judgment

• Not “I hate it, I like it” (this is valid on a personal level)

• But rather “is it a successful piece of art?”

• Does it communicate the artist’s intentions?

• Ask questions?

• Make a statement?

• Achieve the artist’s goal?

Although, there are no right or wrong answers…

art cannot be reduced to a formula

• This is not cut and dry

• Interpretation is always open ended

Bruce NaumanThe True Artist Helps The World By Revealing Mystic TruthsNeon tubes