Video Reviews

Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T. J. Clark-Writing about visual art is more difficult than writing about literature or music. There has always been main stream art but at times Greenberg's preferences did not fit the main stream. You as an art critic need to stay receptive and open because art can evolve from anywhere. He believes there is a prejudice in art criticism. The best art is created for the "elite". All you can ask of lower social classes is to accept art. Greenberg also believes there is a crisis of taste and that relevance is a guideline to criticism. Greenberg believes in modern specialization and to keep refining things down.

 Greenberg on Pollock: An Interview by T. J. Clark- Pollock became famous for his drip paintings but back in the 1940s, Greenberg knew he would be a great artist in the future. The demise of the easel painting was inevitable and would be the next big move towards murals.
Drip paintings eliminate the artist's body getting in the way of what they want to create. When they fail it's because they don't "sit." Pollock's work was not thought to be "real painting" in the traditional sense and he was looked at as an outsider. Pollock said he didn’t take enough time looking at impressionists.

An Introduction to the Italian Renaissance (Giorgio Vasari)- Renaissance saw the rebirth of interest in art. Giorgio Vasari's "Lives of the Artists" still helps people today study art of the past and renews enthusiasm through Italian arts. Art is continually changing and artists base their works on previous artists. The fall of the Roman Empire meant much of Roman culture was lost. The cultural center moved to Byzantine Empire and Byzantine art figures were marked by flatter figures. Giotto began the idea of perspective in which he was one of the first artists to use this idea since the Romans. Donatello's "David" stands in contrapossto which is the body still looks balanced even though the weight is shifted on one side. Masaccio brought shading, drama and intensity to his paintings. Piero della Francesca introduced chiaroscuro (light vs. dark to create depth). Botticelli was able to create works that celebrated the human form and had non-Christian subject matter. DaVinci believed the only way to recreate something realistically is by understanding how it works. Raffaefello is a master of composition and was influenced by Da Vinci. Michelangelo created the Sistine Chapel which took 4 years to complete.

The Critics: Stories from the Inside Pages- Those who cannot do, critique-many artists do not see the need for the critics and do not allow them to influence their work. Critics get the public to think. Their goal is to take you from a neutral state to wanting to experience the work they are talking about. They give new ideas or suggest new ways to view things. Critics direct people to good works. Critics can improve media and influence public opinion. They can keep artists on their toes and give some artists their big break. The duty of a critic often overlaps with the duties of a reporter. Objective critics are neutral, fair and bring different points of views to the table. Subjective critics express their opinion freely. Criticism looks at a wider view than a review does and can also make an argument. Criticism is characterized on how well it makes its argument and how it touches on the human experience. Critical Thinking Skills include knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Superior Criticism involves critical thinking, good writing, choosing the right material and makes connections.

The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture- The view of French colonies in the 1900s were not coherent or consistent. Some images show a high status and others evoke a more primitive view. Dahome culture was represented as barbaric in the 1900 World Fair. The French wanted to make the world think that it was imperative that the French step in and save the "barbarians." Dahome did have skills as craftsmen which is a redeeming quality. Arabic culture became characterized by belly dancing and promiscuity. African men and women were put in cages and put on display in the name of science. They were shown to have violent behavior towards each other and were thought to possibly turn against the Europeans. Physical features were used as a way to determine intellectual superiority. Westerners do not understand the original “cultural meaning” they see it only as an art object.

Jackson Pollock: Michael Fried and T. J. Clark in Conversation- Pollock is a major modern art master. T.J. Clark-modern art was developed in opposition to bourgeoisie culture. Michael Fried-modern art mattered because it was constantly renewing itself. Modernism was a conflict between resources and condition. It was difficult to agree on how to describe the character of Pollock's work so it is difficult to understand his intentions. They need to consider the importance of Pollock's work historically as well as pictorially. Clark and Fried realized they need to redefine the way they speak about Pollock’s work.

2) These videos relate to the creation of my Art Criticism project because it described the techniques used in an art criticism. It made me understand the importance in having an open mind when it comes to art. The videos discussed the correct ways to evaluate art and included examples on criticisms.
3) It took me longer to get through the films this time, however since I knew it was relevant to my next project and it pertained to my understanding then they were interesting. They added depth to my understanding of how to think critically about art.