Critical Essay

For this assignment, you will be required to apply the descriptive, interpretive and evaluative skills you have practiced in the group critique forum to a written project. You will write a critique of a single work of art or a single exhibition of the work of an artist. I must approve your choice of work or exhibition before you submit your first draft of the essay. It is imperative that you view the work in person, therefore you should plan to make several trips to the Chelsea and Williamsburg neighborhoods in NYC, as well as Albany and Troy area galleries and museums this semester. You should certainly, for example, take advantage of the new and improved First Friday program. You absolutely may not critique the work of an artist you find on the web unless said artist is primarily a net artist (meaning--the work may only be viewed online). If you find an artist's work in a group exhibition, you must limit your discussion to one or two pieces by that artist.

I encourage you, as you prepare for this essay, not only to look at as much work as possible, but also to read as much criticism as you can stand. Pick up the Friday edition of the New York Times. Go to the Visual Resources Library and pick up Artforum, ArtNews, Art in America and the art review section of the Village Voice. Go to a book store and look at Aperture, Blind Spot, Coagula. If you're looking for a net artist, you must look at Rhizome's Artbase. Other resources include the Artists Space registry and Pierogi Gallery's Flatfile. Also check out the web resources page right here in the class site.

When you are ready to make the trip to NYC, do please check with me so that I can alert you to important exhibitions you won't want to miss that week. And be sure to check the GalleryGuide, WagMag, The Brooklyn Rail and the Williamsburg Gallery Association for up-to-date info on the gallery scene.

Once you have chosen your artist or exhibition, please contact me for approval. Once approved, you will write three pages, double-spaced, in 12-point font on white 8.5 x 11" paper. I will not acccept the essay in any other form. Organize your essay into three sections: description, interpretation and evaluation. Each section should be roughly the same size (hence the three-page count). See your syllabus for due dates.