To sum up an earlier post about James Elkins' book What Happened to Art Criticism? Asking that question is a bit like fussing over the drapes while a rhinoceros crashes about your living room (or whatever metaphor gets this across). Like it or not, artists keep making art; you can either describe it, using whatever tools and venues are available, until a theory becomes clear, or worry about less important "writerly" concerns, like classifying different types of criticism and asking whether they're up to the job.

- tom moody 8-21-2004 9:51 pm

If you are an artist, to sit back detached and 'position' your work within some kind of larger cultural trend might just be the death of your work. If you are a participatory art-writer then staying in the moment is important, but illuminating the threads of a larger relevance to a work of art is part of the job. If you are someone who calls yourself a critic, then you'd bloody well better do some abstract evaluation of your practice once in a while.
- sally mckay 8-22-2004 6:09 pm


Reply here.
- tom moody 8-22-2004 8:47 pm





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