A Guide to writing an Art Critique You will be required to attend at least 3 performances or exhibitions by iEAR presents or EMPAC (in

person! not online" o#er the course of the semester$ %n response to this experience! you will write a critique of the artwor&(s" presented$ 'ithin your critique! you must identify the artist and wor&! describe the elements and materials! analy(e relationships between elements! consider composition and content and then interpret the wor& and its purpose$ )he len*th should be about + to , pa*es each$ -elow is a *uide intended to help! thou*h you do not need to follow it precisely$ Writing an Art Critique - the Feldman Method Adapted from Edmund .eldman/s Aesthetic Criticism (as set out in 0arieties of 0isual Experience!+12,"$ I. Give an introduction to the facts of the exhibit screening. 'ho3 'hat3 'hen3 'here3 %f a *roup exhibition! choose one artwor& to critique and identify the artis(s"! the title! the medium and year the wor& was created$ II. Critique the artwor! using a four-ste" "rocess. A. #escri"tion Ma&e ob4ecti#e5 or #alue neutral5 statements about the wor& in question$ Exclude interpretations and e#aluations! and instead ta&e an ob4ecti#e in#entory of the wor&$ Point out sin*le features such as ob4ects! trees! and people$ )hen point out abstract elements such as shapes and colors$ .inally point out materials or technolo*ies used to compose this artwor&$ 5A test of ob4ecti#ity would be that most people would a*ree with your statement$ $. Formal anal%sis Ma&e statements about the relations amon* the thin*s you named in the descriptions (part A"$ You should note similarities and dissimilarities in formal elements6such thin*s as color! shape! or direction$ )a&e note of continuities (such as the color red repeated throu*hout the wor&" and of connections (for example! the shape of a window repeated in the shape of a table" between these formal elements and the sub4ect matter$ 'hat &ind of spatial de#ices are used to create dimensionality3 7o you see examples of repetition or rhythm3 .inally! note the o#erall qualities of the wor&$ C. Inter"retation Ma&e statements about the meanin*(s" of the wor&$ )his is the most creati#e part of your critique$ 8sin* a hypothesis! support it with ar*uments! based on e#idence *i#en in the description and formal analysis$ (parts A and -" #. &udgment )his is the most complex part of the critique and requires an opinion re*ardin* the worth of an ob4ect! based on what was learned in the pre#ious sta*es of the critique$ E#aluate the craftsmanship and technique$ Are parts of the wor& successfully interrelated3 7oes the wor& illicit a response or communicate an idea3 Are you mo#ed by this wor&3 'hat do you thin& of it3 'hat is your aesthetic 4ud*ment3 And on what is based3 III. #raw conclusions