It is a rare thing to find a critical engagement with the art in the city of Detroit. What happens when we put up artwork? People come to the opening, some people like it, some people even buy it, but unless someone hired some PR, no one reviews it.
In other cities there are magazines and alternative presses that have hired writers. There are articles that don’t act as both an advertisement and commentary, they create dialogue. If a show wasn’t up to snuff, there usually wasn’t an article.
Here in Detroit, if you had a great show, if there was some great art that made people really talk, and keep talking about it long after the opening, there also won’t be an article.
We are looking back at the effects of the past two years where organizations ramped up their funding for the arts. The frenzy for the Kresge Fellowships are beginning as is the gallery season, but I haven’t really seen much movement in the ways of art criticism. There is a void. I saw my own solo show come and go, feeling pride that it got a mention on the Metro Times blog. I read up on Vince Carducci’s blog, ‘Motown Review of Art’ to see what good writing looks like again and perused through the blog by an anonymous writer who does onemorespoke.blogspot.com.
Where are all of these conversations though that we talk about in person but are too afraid to bring up on the internet?
I set myself up to be a volunteer for thedetroiter.com with this idea in mind, what if I could help fill that hole? Is there a way to get enough content going up no the site to attract advertisers and to subsequently be able to pay writers again?
Well, I am unsure of what it takes to create an army of volunteers for the sole purpose of having them become paid writers, but I do know that we are in a vital moment to talk about issues that have a real effect on our goals as artists that live in Detroit.
What constitutes ‘community’ art? Who has been doing the best job of it and is there an updated listing of new public art pieces?
What is the current state of art education today in Detroit’s public schools, or in our graduate degree programs?
What have people found to work for them to make a living as an artist? If not making art, what types of jobs have artists taken up and are they affecting how those organizations run?
How do people feel about the places that artists show work?
Will the artists really be the ones to re-imagine Detroit?
Why don’t we have any paid writers who talk about the arts more than once every other month, and not just someone visiting Detroit, and not something that is controversial nor with a forced storyline about how it’s a ‘good thing’?
I am saying all of this because I’m trying to prepare myself for what I would consider my first real critical arts review (albeit it’s smaller than everything I have written thus far). I feel like it’s been a while since many people have read a ‘critical’ review, so I should preface it with some basics. This is not to create sides, this is not to necessarily even critique the artists themselves that I will mention, but to highlight larger issues and question and prod them and to talk it all out. A good critique is like therapy, there’s some kind of ridiculous stigma that something must be wrong, but in the end, there are ideas and events that take time to bring out, that need to come out. Usually it’s about understanding the importance of three questions, where are we coming from, where are we going, why?
A manual screen capture: what bloggers see
Amen.
Cedric, it is true that there are paid writers that review shows and offer criticism in other cities with more financially successful newspapers, but that model is changing. Just like in any other area of journalism, blogs have become central in the promotion of art, and not only that, they have also become a community for artists and art enthusiast to engage discussion that ranges from dialog to flame wars. Perhaps the most visible example of this trend is the fabulous Art Fag City (http://artfagcity.com), but there are others. There is a need for art criticism in the city, and a blog ideally suited to the task as a medium and venue. So to you and all of those that write in this blog I say: please keep at it.
Now the issue of criticism is always a touchy one for the uninitiated, but the bottom line is that if an artist puts work out in the world, he or she should accept the fact that viewers will have an opinion of it, and that opinion may be just as important as the work. I think that there is a fear here of honest critique because there is this notion that if something is made in Detroit it must be praised as a positive, no matter what, and the perception is that a critical approach would dissuade people from creating while causing rifts in community. However, the reality is that:
1. We should be adults, and aspire for professionalism.
2.There are works that do need to be talked about that are not being discussed.
For instance, the recent Hygenic Dress League project in Corktown has caused quite a few discussions amongst friends, but apart from the fluffy article at the Detroit News I haven’t seen anything with any depth to it. Why not? It is the most visible piece of new public art in Detroit (sorry Monumental Kitty, but you are not on a rooftop), why are we not talking about it?
If we don’t engage with our art critically, there is no way we can also engage with our city critically. Critical thinking should never be optional, nor should be checked in with your coat. I for one eagerly expect your upcoming review.
c.
ps: WordPress 3.04 is available! Please update now
With all due respect, enough with the hand wringing. If you have a review to write, write it. But please don’t mistake an unvetted blog post for serious critical writing. There’s a limit to how serious people will get about criticism here because so many of us know each other and are afraid to step on toes. As long as the pool of people willing and able to devote time to writing is limited to fellow artists all vying for the same opportunities, it will never get serious.
I appreciate the effort. I’m looking forward to seeing what thedetroiter.com will offer as time goes on. Just do yourselves a favor and please, please, please be rigorous about editing your articles and reviews before posting them. Have somebody who’s not your best friend edit them. It’s impossible to take anyone seriously if they don’t take themselves seriously enough to subject themselves to editing.
Now let’s see that critical review.
A bit of discussion/critique of sorts has surfaced over at detroityes. It revolves around powerhouse productions windfall, and so far, a drive-by art hit by a Juxtapoz sponsored stable of lowbrow art stars reppin’ the coasts. They were bankrolled here in Oct. to play in empty houses on Moran St. The Feb, 2011 Juxtapoz mag has a feature about Detroit’s (cough)”freedom” as told in stream-of-consciousness drivel. Best parts are when Mitch and Gina are allowed to tell their story. 24 pages of photos document the royal visitation. Will there be local intervention/agitprop/critical review of Jux in Detroit?
Hope he takes us to school.
Been waiting for Motownreview-o-fart to weigh in. That Carducci geezer knows how to write and reference art history
Hey Cedric, here is a good resource if you want to read some of Clement Greenberg’s writings: http://www.sharecom.ca/greenberg/
My “art writing” class in College basically just went over his essays.