How to Write Art Criticism: An Introductory Guide The O3 Gallery Prize for Contemporary Art Criticism aims to promote art writing that is forward-thinking, creative and original. The submissions should develop and express an individual, artistic point of view. With that in mind, don’t treat this guide as a rulebook but rather as a set of suggestions to get you thinking and allow you to explore your own critical writing style. What is Art Criticism? Let’s start with the basics ... Art criticism is, as the name suggests, the process and product of thinking critically about art. To distill it into its individual components art criticism is made up of looking at, responding to, interpreting and evaluating visual art. The chief purpose of writing an art critique is to assist your reader’s understanding; you should provide an accessible yet intellectually grounded insight into the meanings and merits of the artworks you are considering. Structuring your Response To reiterate, the structure suggested here is not necessarily the winning formula for a perfect art critique, it’s simply an outline which encompasses the key features of the genre. You may find a different structure works better for you, depending on your chosen exhibition or your personal writing style. Feel free to get creative! • Begin with an outline description of the exhibition. Who? What? Where? When? Provide factual information about the exhibition; the artist; the work on show; the institution hosting the exhibition; the medium of the work; the scale or general layout of the exhibition, etc. It can be helpful in your introduction to refer to the direction your critique will take by making a clear thesis statement. This could stem from your overall first impression of the show which you can return to, develop, and reassess throughout your writing. • Follow your general introduction by critiquing several purposely selected artworks in depth, working through four levels of understanding. 1. Description: formal analysis of the visual elements of the work. You can only use one image to illustrate your writing, so give the reader enough information to visualize the exhibition themselves. Your description should be creative but remain objective, and it could consider the form of the artwork, the medium, size and scale, shape and line, relationships between shapes, composition, etc. 2. Analysis: evaluation of the aesthetic principles and elements seen within the art works. This covers a number of different analytical elements; you will need to chose those which are most relevant to the exhibition you are critiquing. Analysis can include determination of subject matter, selection of the most distinctive features of the work, analysis of design or composition, the effect of a particular medium, how the works relate to each other, etc. ! 3. Interpretation: consideration of what the work is about and what the artist’s intention was ! in creating it; use specific examples to support your ideas. It may be helpful to aid your ! interpretation by supporting it with discussion of the curator’s intention, audience interaction ! with the work, or critical comparisons with other artworks or particular aesthetic or art ! historical theories. ! 4. Evaluation: the formulation of a judgement, based on personal thoughts about the ! successes and failures of the work, justified and supported by evidence. Draw a conclusion to your critique by comparing and contrasting the works you have analyzed, and • considering their position within the show as a whole. Summarize what the exhibition is about for you and what it accomplishes artistically. You could also return to your first impression: how has this changed or developed as you have worked through your critique? Before you get started give some thought to ... • It may sound obvious, but make sure you have visited the exhibition you’re critiquing, if possible on more than one occasion. Your initial notes made whilst actually in the gallery can be invaluable whilst formulating your writing. • Space is of a premium - you only have 800 words in which to express yourself, but you can make the word count work to your advantage. Make sure every sentence is adding something to the critique, and make sure the information you include (particularly in your introduction and descriptions) is concise and relevant. • The language you choose is vital. Use technical terms, where relevant, with confidence and clarity but avoid artistic jargon. When forming descriptions, chose adjectives with care and flair: this is a perfect chance to showcase your writing style. • A striking first sentence is important: it captures your readers attention and makes a strong first impression. • Make sure your own opinions are grounded in evidence. It is okay to be critical of the work, as long as you justify your opinion. Similarly, if you like the work, state the reasons why rather than simply showering it in praise. • Finally, it may be helpful to read other examples of art critiques before writing your own to get an idea of the style and tone in which to write. You can find plenty of these in art journals, or by searching online. ! For further information on how to send your submission, as well as terms and conditions about the O3 Gallery Prize for Contemporary Art Criticism please visit our website at www.o3gallery.co.uk or drop us an e-mail at [email protected]. Best of luck!