CRITIQUING THE CRITIQUE: JEAN MARIE CASBARIAN

This reading list was about different forms of critique and to be aware of what the purpose of critique is. I found the readings helpful in identifying different ways we can offer critique by thinking of the artist and their intention. For example, do we critique to tear the work apart or do we critique to encourage the artist to grow in their creative powers? Do we critique for the project itself or also for the artist to grow in the long term?

There are many dynamics in art group critique spaces and while critique has been an integral part of art education, the criteria for critique has been murky. Often it is not clear where the container for the critique is and there are many unconscious group patterns that end up governing the conversation. I was really fascinated by the The Critique Clinic and the experimentation of having long immersive critiques to see what unfolds through that discourse.

I also appreciated watching the film “The Room of Silence” on how race impacts the conversation of critique. It is something I think about too, as sometimes as an artist whose work deals with racial justice, it is hard to focus on my art itself in the critique as often the conversation goes into political education mode. It is a challenge I do not know how to work with as of course my work touches on political education but I don’t want my art to merely be about that.