Ways of Seeing (1, 2) & Criticizing Art (1)

The first chapter of Criticizing Art thoroughly explains the way in which art is criticized, and how that is justified. Something that I really agreed with was the idea that criticism is created out of love rather than hate. Someone wouldn't bother writing about something and how it could be made better or made differently if they hated it entirely. As an artist, I think it is important to know how to accept and react to criticism so that your work can benefit from the perspective of an outsider with fresh eyes. Sometimes I find myself so absorbed in my own work that I can't see mistakes or irregularities that would otherwise be obvious.

Robert Rosenblum had a quote within the chapter about what the process of creating art was. I share the same viewpoint...

"What you're really trying to do is educate yourself, and educate the audience that's going to read about how you're going to educate yourself."

I really like the idea that creating art is a constant education. Whenever I pick up some kind of medium and prepare to create something, I tend to think about it differently than I think about anything else. I think artists generally look at the world a little differently than the general public anyway, but I think you learn something from every piece you work on. It's sort of a cute little secret with yourself. I think making art is less about the final product and more about the individual process.

There was also a quote from Hickey talking about how art accumulates value which was interesting. It was something I really hadn't thought of. He was talking about buying art being an investment, and the longer you wait to buy a piece, the more expensive it gets, because it gets reviewed by critics and galleries. As that happens the value goes about because of the good publicity. He talks about how waiting for that to happen increases your chances of obtaining a high-valued product. But really, a piece being valuable is completely objective. Everything is only worth what someone will pay for it. If gold were an abundant resource, than people would pick it up off the ground rather than pay tons of money for it.

Ways of Seeing talked more about interpreting artwork, and the differences created in pieces that are replicated. I liked the section about how art seduces the viewer by pulling he or she into the work. When I went to the MFA to see the Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese exhibit, I remember taking hours to get through all 51 pieces. Some of them I didn't even like, but I couldn't help but to stare at them. That exhibit was absolutely incredible, and is something I probably won't forget. (And that's saying something, because I forget EVERYTHING)