Art critics' reflections

In the West, if a politician's position swings around, the public and the media will criticize him for stupidity or jealousy. But when an art critic changed his position, the resulting chain reaction was much smaller. Often only a strong supporter, other critics, or commented artists notice this change.

However, when the prestigious art critic Peter Sjelda was entitled "Adele of Gustav Klimt," I changed my mind, the blog appeared in The New Yorker. On the website, it quickly caught the attention of people. This work was created in 1907. The protagonist on the screen is the wife of a 25-year-old Austrian industrialist, Adele Bloch Bauer. Schierda did not completely deny his own judgment. Six years ago, he praised him quite arrogantly as "a very easy-going trick, but he also excelled," and now, in the eyes of the critic, it has become a "massage." Huge, flashy decorations, "Even in the era at the time, it wasn't much better, simply because people had spent too much money on it."

1. High selling prices, political factors, and other factors affecting the aesthetic judgment “I gave a passing score when I first saw this work,” Sjelda said. “But after many years, I saw it repeatedly. Now it feels 'it's just a mess.' Its first impression is absolutely gorgeous. But now I find it so incoherent that it is totally unworthy to call it a good work, not even a good one. Once was the most expensive painting in the world."

The sale price of Adele Bloch Bauer in 2006 was $135 million. The buyer was art collector and cosmetics giant Ronald Rand.

Szyrda’s confession can not help but make the world curious. Why does an art critic turn against a public publication? It is generally believed that reviewing furniture has a pair of eyes and can make confident judgments. Then how do they change their minds? Did the change of times affect the tastes of critics? Will they be influenced by other commentators? Does the degree of familiarity with the artist affect the judge's judgment? Will critics change their position and influence other critics?

"I think that behind Schelda's blog post, there is an aversion to the effects of a lot of money, and money affects aesthetic judgement and experience." Michael Bran, a nine-year art critic in The New York Times Sen said, "This sense of disgust determines to a certain extent how he sees this picture."

Donald Kuspit has written a large number of books on artists and art critics. His words are more severe: "The commentary by Schrageda on Klimt's paintings does not seem to be the result of careful consideration. This is a definitive conclusion. There is absolutely no room for discussion, and critics should not be so arbitrary.Perhaps he compares this work with other Klimt works, and the judgement of the work should be understood in the context of the entire history of art. The point of view itself is evidence that he is too arbitrary.”

In fact, Couspette himself has also experienced self-denial. He was once praised by Leon Golub. He once wrote a book about the artist in 1986, but gradually lost interest in his later works. "In the final analysis, political correctness is more important than the painting itself." He said this.

The social and political tendencies of the times will inevitably have a decisive influence on the judgment of the works. “I am taught in feminism and identity politics,” commented Peter Plagens of Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal. “Lee Krasner was ignored and underestimated, and in my impression, the most The jaw-dropping exhibition is a retrospective exhibition by Lee Buntgu at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. She should be on an equal footing with Rauschenberg and Jones. "In recent years, Plagens has treated Helen Frankant, Francis Bacon. The views of James Treyle and Robert Irwin have changed.

2, in order to face the dead in the end, it is better to admit mistakes in the long history of art, critics to change the perspectives of the case abound, in which, Clement Greenberg's views on Monet's change is particularly noticeable. In 1945, Greenberg once expressed his opinion and said that the late masterpiece of the Impressionist "only showed the artist's style, not even a work of art."

Twelve years later, the abstract expressionist style gained fame and Clement again confirmed the importance of Monet. "There is a need to correct an error here, although this mistake is an appreciation of failure - it may be modern painting. An unavoidable and even necessary stage in the development process."

Terry Tichter often wrote articles for magazines such as The Wall Street Journal and commented on art, drama, and dance. He said, “I often change my thinking. I don’t think it’s better than just fighting for my face. Admit mistakes, although many critics will not change their mind."

Tichote experienced a reversal in his comments on Monet. At first he thought that Monet was "great", but then he thought that Monet's painting "finally died on the wall for me." After years of writing reviews, he has learned to treat his negative emotions with care. “When you first saw a work of art, you didn’t like it very much. You have to think twice about it,” he said. “There may be a positive reaction. You are shocked by the work, but in the beginning you didn’t Realize this."

Irving Sandler is an advocate of abstract expressionism and the author of The Triumphal Drawing of the American Painting. He admits that when he first saw the works of Frank Stella and Andy Warhol being beaten Now. “I stood before the work and saw the avant-garde creations, but I could not accept them immediately,” said Sandler. “Do I like Warhol like De Kooning? No. But I'm sure it's important, I've been very close to our current life. Since then, I've been careful. When something makes me react negatively, I'll give it time."

Some critics may make a final decision because they don't know much about the entire school. Later, they often modify their opinions. Twenty-seven years ago, Kenneth Baker, the art critic of the San Francisco Chronicle and Art News Magazine, was invited to give a special lecture on photography. He later admitted that he “essentially denied its value”. “Not long afterwards, I had two new discoveries—in fact, there are some works that I really appreciate. Photography is rich in content and therefore it is easy to be the subject of writing.” These discoveries led Baker to explore photography more deeply. . "I found myself hooked with the work of different photographers: William Klein, Irving Penn, Lee Friedland, Joel Peter Vetterkin..."

3 Negative Comments Should Be Cautiously Published, Artists Will Be Injured Sometimes, emerging artists may receive negative comments in public publications, but as artists continue to expose, their appreciation of artistic achievements will follow. Branson recalled: "When I first saw David Parker's work in 1983, I wrote a short, rather negative comment. When Parker held a retrospective exhibition at the Whitney Museum I found myself very much like his work.Barbara Kruger is another example.At the first few times, when I saw her work, I was not fascinated by it. Now, I also love her. Works."

Another art critic, Kim Levin, also had the same experience. In the Voice of Country, she strongly urged the audience to "boycott" the American artist John Carlin's first exhibition, expressing shock at the artist's portrayal of older women. It is "horrible." Later, when Carlin's 2003 retrospective exhibition was held at the Whitney Museum, she still had reservations, but she also began to praise him for his "courageous gesture," and awarded him the title of "the first savvy creator."

The Los Angeles Times critic Christopher Nett remembered that he had censured Nancy Rubens's work in the group exhibition of "Helter Skelter: Los Angeles Art in the 1990s".

In 1992, he wrote that Rubens' "destroyed mobile homes and water heaters piled up like mountains, trying to shock the audience with a cumbersome, but its image fleeting, can not make people resonate." After 16 years, he still finds himself unforgettable about this work: “I used to scold this piece for a moment's excuses, but I still can't forget it myself.” Later, Rubens was born in Los Angeles. A giant piece of art was placed on the Museum Square. Knight lauded it as "a weird and beautiful force field." "It always makes me feel very excited."

Knight took lessons from his initial assertion, and he wrote: "Art is an experience. When it comes out, it needs trust. Understanding it can make a better comment."

Another change in the opinion of the vibration art world occurred after the 2009 Picasso exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery in New York. The exhibition presents the artist's late paintings and prints. In the 1970s, the famous art critics Robert Hughes and John Berger criticized the masters' last few years of writing. At the time, Hughes wrote in the weekly newspaper “Times”: “It's hard to imagine that such a great painter would paint such sloppy and superficial graffiti, even if he is already a veteran.” Ghogenheim Museum, 1984 In his retrospective exhibition for Picasso, his views have begun to change: "Good works are very good. They stimulated vision in a strange way. It was amazing."

The 2009 exhibition presented hundreds of works by Picasso from 1962 to 1972. Many critics revised their opinions. “Some of us disapproved of Picasso's last period of work, thinking that they were lazy and sloppy.” Sjérda wrote, “We ignored the object of comment... Picasso once again surpassed his time. He The rough treatment of the media is to make it new."

Most commentators agree that negative comments should be published with caution. “If you want a commentator to talk about a living person they know is starting to go downhill, this is a very embarrassing thing. Part of the reason is that even well-known and successful artists will suffer from critics’ views. Injury.” Pragens, who is both an artist and a critic, has deep feelings about this.

"From 1956 to 1962, I learned one thing when I was commenting on Art News," Sandler recalls. "People always pick important people to attack and they don't bother to deal with the unknown. If they don't get a reputation." You will only pass by them."