Critic JM Casbarian 9/20/22

CRITIQUING THE CRITIQUE-JEAN MARIE CASBARIAN

The Room of Silence (students from Rhode Island School of Design)

https://vimeo.com/161259012feeling

Art Students of color that are attending a predominantly white art college are being interviewed and appear to have the privilege to voice their concerns without repercussion from administration. The students reveal many problems that tap into a  sense of isolation while attending Rhode Island school of design a predominantly white college. The  students discuss issues of racial disparities being implemented thru the lens of white privileged instructors which is confirmed by a white student peer in interview.

One of the many problems revealed is that instructors don't always address the concerns and desires of black art students by including minority artist in their art's curriculums. Critical race theory is interwoven in the responses of many of the minority art students.

Being that this was created in the form of students being candidly asked questions about isolation from what seemed to be an unbiased interviewer. I picked up the silence was given a voice in this setting .However the  problems were not addressed. Having personally walked thru this same situation in my graduate and undergraduate years at a predominately white art universities, I concur with the minority students and I am able to relate and agree with every response posed by the students. The milieu of problems should provoke further thought, research and discussion in the future to enlighten art administrations of the minority students concerns.

 

Observations in Forms and Patterns of Critique by Judith Lehman (2004) PDC

This article lays out a foundation for art criticism to student’s peer and faculty To invigorate participation. Various forms of three art criticisms are discussed in the following forms;

Firing squad -When a student is expected to defend artwork after a barrage of questions.

Don’t kill the baby- Critics is gently and speaking with appreciation about an art work and the tellswhat it l acks.

Creative response= responding to the art creation with creativity

Lehmann points out that he dynamics that a critic takes are important , and the ways we interact with each other should be considered and mindful.

Lehmann also highlights, that we have the ability to shift the tone of the critique if we are the person being critiqued. I would do this by changing the direction of observation. The authors response to these forms and models are open ended and she allows the various form as a personal style or choice for the critic.

 

Feldman’s Model of Art Criticism / abbreviated Feldman’s Model of Art Criticism


From the work of Edmund Burke Feldman, available in many of his books from
the late 1060’s and early 70’s
Description Make a list of the visual qualities of the work that are obvious and immediately
perceived. Ask students “What do you see in the artwork”? and “What else”?
Includes content and subject matter in representational works, includes abstract
elements in nonrepresentational pieces.
Analysis Focus on the formal aspects of elements of art, principles of design, and other
formal considerations: exaggeration, composition etc.
“How does the artist create a center of interest?” How does the use of color
impact the painting?”
Interpretation Propose ideas for possible meaning based on evidence. Viewers project their
emotions/feelings/intentions onto the work. “What do you think it means”?
“What was the artist trying to communicate”? “What clues do you see that
support your ideas”?
Judgment Discuss the overall strengths/success/merit of the work. This step is usually used
with mature audiences.

 

Worksheet / In Preparation / from the book, Making and Being, by Susan Jahoda and Caroline Woolard- familiarize

IN PREPARATION
(TO BE DONE SEPARATELY AS HOMEWORK OR TOGETHER TO START THE CRITIQUE)
O Read a 1–5 page text that I have written about the work
O Read a 1–5 page text by another person that provides context/vocabulary for the work
O Watch the work in advance (a 5–15 minute video, website, or virtual space that can be shared
digitally)
O Watch a 5–15 minute video by another person that provides context/vocabulary for the work
O Share source imagery/references images that shape
the work
O Require that reviewers go to a specific site/gallery/space
in advance
O Other:
GROUP AGREEMENTS
O Be on time!
O Be on topic/no anecdotes that are not helpful
O We will start with a short activity to become present together in the space.
O Everyone will learn and use gender pronouns to refer to people: she/her, they/them, he/him.
O No phones can be used (except for one timing device).
O Reviewers/artists will engage in active listening.
O If you are going to miss a class, there should be a collective solution about how to make up class.
O Reviewers ask themselves, “Why am I talking?” / “Why am I not talking?” (step up or step back).
O Other:
ARTIST/PRESENTER AGREEMENTSOOKING AT THE WORK
O Take 5 minutes (or more) of collective silence to look at the work
O Take 5 minutes (or more) to make drawings of the work, together
O Take 5 minutes (or more) to write individually about the work
O Take 5 minutes to touch/know the materials used in the work (materials displayed as well as work)
O Other:
DESCRIBING THE WORK
O Take 5 minutes (or more) to describe the materials, media, and techniques used
O Take 5 minutes (or more) to describe the formal qualities of the work (scale, axis, line, elements,
palette, texture, etc.)
O Take 5 minutes (or more) to describe the presentation /mode of display / installation of the work
O Take 5 minutes (or more) to describe the audience/participant for this project
O Other:
ANALYZING/INTERPRETING THE WORK
O What topics / issues / subject matter does the work aim
to address?
O What kind of local or community-specific knowledges
does the work assume?
OHow do the materials/techniques connect to the topics/
issues the work addresses?
O Articulate your worldview / framework for analysis as you
speak (feminist, anti-capitalist, modernist…)
O Other:
NOTE: This worksheet is an excerpt from Chapter 14 from the book Making and Being by Susan Jahoda and Caroline Woolard,
published by Pioneer Works Press, and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Go to
the Table of Contents online for links to the whole book. Contact us at: info@bfamfampd.com to let us know how this works for you

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FACILITATION
O I do not want to speak during the critique; I will take notes as I listen to what you see/say
O I want to designate a notetaker, to help me keep track of comments
O I want to designate a respondent, someone who will answer your questions for me
O I will bring in someone to interview me about the work for the critique, we will both answer questions
O I want all people to share their thoughts about the work (by speaking or writing)
O (For multilingual students) I want to first speak about my work in the language I am most comfortable
speaking, and then I will speak about my work in English
O Other:
FEEDBACK
I want reviewers to address:
O My growth over time (over the semester or year)
O More than one work
O One work
O Other artists/research related to the work (I want this:written down OR spoken)
O Open calls / grants / residencies / people interested in this topic (written OR spoken)
O Other places where I could improve my technique (written OR spoken)
O Ways that they would remake the work
O Ways that they would make semi-related works
O The presentation/installation of the work
O Other:
I AM LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK THAT IS
O As critical as possible of the work
O Kind, giving the work the benefit of the doubt
O Firing squad (see Judith Leemann’s article)
O Don’t kill the baby (see Judith Leemann’s article)
O Creative response (see Judith Leemann’s article)
O Observe—describe—analyze (see Judith Leemann’s article)
O Other:
Note: See the activity “Beholding a Work of Art” in Chapter 15: Encounter for more options
O I will set up for the critique. I will think about the hour my peers are spending with me.
O I will think about what I want to learn.
O I will share my goals/intent for the experience and provide context about what you are focusing on.
O I will tell you what I want feedback on/which work is relevant for the critique.
O I will learn about the guest critic in advance and present my work in relationship to their interests

 

Optional Readings: