TAD2602

Art criticism: practice and theory

3 points
* 2 hours seminar and 4 independent study hours per week
* Second semester
* Caulfield
* Prerequisites: TAD1101 and TAD1102

Objectives On successful completion of this subject, students should have a healthily sceptical perspective of the selection of voice, motives and bias of art reviews and reviewers; appreciate criticism as a genre of writing, with the unique cultural and practical contingencies acting upon it, and understand the variety of art writing which it comprises; consider cultural paradigms - such as `benign collusion' or `police mentality' - which might best characterise criticism in its relation with the art that it praises or damns; consider the parallels between movements in criticism and those in fine art and the other arts.

Synopsis The subject has three main strands: first, it presents a brief history of criticism and critical approaches; second, it closely examines reviews on a weekly basis and, where possible, compares the judgements of reviewers to the current show in Melbourne which has been the subject of a given review. Third, the subject recognises the importance of examining longer, sustained pieces of writing about art and its theoretical underpinnings. The focus of the subject is the critical examination of the genre; however, it has the consequence of discovering the aspects of art which are most likely to gain the attention of the public eye.

Assessment Tutorial paper: 30%
* Gallery report: 30%
* Essay: 40%

Recommended texts

Current issues of
Art Monthly
Like
Art and Text
World Art
Artlink
The Herald-Sun
The Age