Art Criticism Art Criticism n Art Criticism is

Art Criticism

Art Criticism n Art Criticism is informed discourse about art designed to increase understanding and appreciation of art “Discourse – talking and writing…. Informed – distinguishes criticism from mere talk and informed opinion about art (Barrett, 1990) n

Description n Subject matter – identify and typify persons, objects, places, events, etc. . , in a work of art n Form – Description of formal elements in a work of art. These are based on the elements and principles of Design n Art Form – What is it? (e. g. painting, weaving, sculpture, etc. . )Medium – What material(s) is the work made of (e. g. oil on canvas, mixed media, mahogany etc. )

Description n Style – Artist’s personal style. Movement e. g. . Impressionism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, Intuitive, etc. n Time Period, e. g. Renaissance, Colonial Era, 1970’s etc. Geographic location, e. g. Western, Caribbean, African etc. Social milieu from which work emerged, eg. Tourist art etc. . n Comparing and contrasting – one work with other works or styles of other artists. n

Analysis n "How is the work organized? How are the elements of line, shape, form, texture, space and colour used? How are the principles of design - balance/proportion, pattern/contrast/repetition, rhythm/movement, emphasis, unity/harmony and variety.

Interpretation Formalist interpretation – Meaning asrived from formal elements and principles of the Visual Arts Comparative interpretation – compare work of artist or compare with work of other artists. Freudian/Psychoanalytic interpretation – How the work of art affects the mind

Interpretation n Interpretations Based on Technique – How technique, medium, methods, choice of subject matter, contribute to interpretation. How the artists manipulates a particular medium or technique. What is expressed by the manipulation of surfaces and implications or meanings beyond the surface. Interpretations usually account for how the work of art is made; consider the effects of the marking or the meaning.

Interpretation n Semiotic Interpretation – Study of signs and symbols as elements of communicative behaviour. Seeks more to understand” the how and the “what “of an image, and its meanings e. g. in placement of images – relationship of one symbol to the other.

Interpretation n Marxist Interpretation – Effects of class and society – places work of art in the context of social reality- to interpret them as manifestations of larger societal development and social reality. n Neo- Marxist –Concerns of class, gender, age and race

Interpretation n Feminist Interpretation – What is the role of gender images in works of art? How are women portrayed? n Interpretation Based on Stylistic Influences – Explain information about a work of art by putting in into a histrical context. Pay homage to a particular artist style (implicitly reinforces the notion that art comes in part from other art, or that all artists are influenced by other artist’ work’s)

Interpretation n Biographic Interpretation – Why does an artist make these kinds of images (rather than some other kind)? Cause and effect relationship between the artist’s life experiences and the way his/her images look(Biographical information used to explain the work of art).

Interpretation n Intentionalist Interpretation – What the maker intended in an image or body of work. Intended meaning of artist’s work and how their work is understood.

Interpretation n Cultural Interpretation – Cultural relativity, e. g. . view other ways of acting, thinking and feeling to be Justas valid as those of our own cultural traditions. Realize that each human group’s way of acting, thinking and feeling are a result of its long history. Avoid ethnocentrisms, which is the opinion that the moral standards values, manners, and knowledge’s etc… First World/Third World. Thinking relativitistically does not mean that one should have no personal opinions and not make moral judgements. Rather, respect and value other peoples’ historical legacy.

Interpretation n Combination of Interpretive Approaches – Using more than one approach, Consider one work of art from several of these perspectives at a time, resulting in several competing interpretations. This raises issues about the correctness of interpretations

Judgement n This is the time to give your opinions. No one can ever tell you what to like or dislike. You must make up your own mind. To make a good judgment you need to be honest with yourself. You need to know why you feel the way you do. Judge- What do I think about this artwork? Do I like it? Why or why not? How do I feel about whether the artist was successful in conveying an idea?

Judgement n To better understand about deciding about how you feel about an artwork, it may help to take a look at the three common aesthetic theories below. Is the artwork successful because: Imitationalism/Realism - The artist rendered the images in a realistic manner. It is easy to discern the subject because of the realistic quality of the art.

Judgement n Formalism/Composition - The artist was adept (skillful) in using the elements and principles of design in the artwork. (This also refers to the placement, contrast, and interaction of all parts of the work. ) Emotionalism/Feelings-The artist did a good job of evoking an emotion or feeling from me

n -Using aspects of description, interpretation, analysis and judgment to discuss own work and that of others (e. g. peers). n - Writing and talking about works of art – developing a vocabulary for the visual arts, expressing opinions fluently developing ideas through logical processes, comparing and contrasting points of view.

n -Developing writing skills through practice in writing sentences, paragraph and essays about art. Keeping a glossary of adjectives that might be used to describe art forms. exhibitions and other phenomena as they relate to the art world. n Developing writing style. Examine writing style of art critics locally and internationally.

n -Discussion of art criticism as a career option. Examination of critiques made by art critics in local newspapers and magazines. n -Developing logical arguments about art. Critiques of own work and that of peers as well as the work of other artists.

n Aesthetic theories ( iconography eg. Osmond Watson n n n and John Dunkley, Realism eg. Samere Tansley and Barrington Watson, pragmatism, emotionalism eg. Surrealism -Colin Garland Roberta Stodart Expressionism, formalism which entails the use of elements and principles of design eg. Milton George Abstract - Eugene Hyde and George Rodney Feminism -Andrea Haynes Peart, Ebony Patterson and Viv Logan, Deconstructivism eg , Neo-Marxism Robert Cookhorne – African and Stanford Watson and socihistorical.

SAMERE TANSLEY n Samere Tansley was born in England, and since 1970 has made her home in Jamaica where she enjoys a successful career as a professional artist. n The imagery in her painting has been greatly influenced by her move to the Caribbean. Her portraits of Jamaican women painted with meticulous intensity are highly sought after and her still-lifes reflect the abundance of the land the sharp contrasts created by tropical sunlight.

SAMERE TANSLEY

SAMERE TANSLEY

SAMERE TANSLEY

SAMERE TANSLEY

SAMERE TANSLEY

SAMERE TANSLEY

FRIDA KAHLO

FRIDA KAHLO n Frida Kahlo was born on July 6, 1907, in Coyoacan, a suburb of Mexico City. n At six years old Frida contracted polio which left her with a deformed right foot and the cruel nickname, 'Peg-Leg' Frida.

FRIDA KAHLO n A streetcar accident in 1925 left Frida Kahlo disabled and changed her life. She started to paint during her recovery. n Kahlo met the great Mexican artist Diego Rivera in 1928 and married him in 1929. Their relationship was always turbulent

FRIDA KAHLO n Kahlo began to deny any European influences in her art. She started to wear traditional Mexican costumes and braided her hair with ribbons and flowers to identify with her indigenous Mexican culture.

FRIDA KAHLO n After two unsuccessful pregnancies, Kahlo's paintings increasingly dealt with her feelings about loss, infertility, pain and alienation. n Most of her works are self portraits that explicitly deal with her own physical and psychological suffering

FRIDA KAHLO n During her lifetime, she did not enjoy the same level of recognition as her husband, Diego Rivera, but today her intensely autobiographical work is as critically acclaimed as that of her male peers. n In the summer of 1954, Frida Kahlo died from pneumonia in the house where she was born.

FRIDA KAHLO

FRIDA KAHLO

FRIDA KAHLO

FRIDA KAHLO

FRIDA KAHLO