A Critical Critique of Current Criticism

[areleejensen]

Do you like Criticism?

I have been reading about it lately.

You should take a look at this, oh intellectuals of the world.

Comments

[phatfhorn]

These are all concepts that I read and discussed in the Theories of Art class I took at USC with Dallas Willard. We read John Dewey towards the end of the course when discussing grand theories and criticism. The class also focused on developing a definition of art, and exploring that definition based on real life artistic examples. We also went into the individual arts, creative and performance, and discussed the aesthetic possibilities---what they do well, and what they don't. It was a very eye-opening experience, and I'd love to talk about it more.

The current fashionable philosophies have really dragges art through the mud, so much that people can't tell mediocre artistic attempts from truly great works. It doesn't help that the National Endowment of the Arts continues to fund substandard artists. I support the NEA, but I think there needs to be more discretion to the kinds of art that it supports. It often fails to live up to its own slogan, "A Great Nation Deserves Great Art" by churning out substandard after substandard pieces, and supporting artists that completely lack vision.

I'm not sure if the NEA supported , but its a prime example of post-modern art without vision. When someone asked the "artist" what the piece means, he said "it doesn't have to mean anything, its ART!". This is an aestetic philosophy I do not support.