·
l� �3 WHO RULES TE RT WORLD?
A little over decade go, go, the rt press ouced ouced ew trd i moder pitin, photorelism. ll of the rtists ivolved used photorphic imes t some poit i their work pro css. t the time, most hih-rt lleries wer show totlly bstrct or coceptul works It ws therefore strtlg to see work tht thrust �po us highly resolved imes of the mod e world. Oe work i prticulr cuht my ttetio It de picted fmily of four o Florid ech. The roup looked like the kid of llAmeric fmilies i cotemporry Wo der Bred ds, except tht the ime hd the feel of posed spshot i whh everyo self-cosciously tried to look their role s memer of hppy, fulovi fulovi fmily Tus the fther Dick Nio looklikeris too much s he plys with his so's toy cr, while his wif overidictes overidicte s her her muse met. Theorks cool; dtchd surfce, cle-eded foms, d riht colors mied th emptess o the fmily clich t� the es ct out " A couple of yers lter, ws itroduced to th rist told him how much I liked his work. He ws of corse, plesed The mde the mistke of syi moresometh bout hs dedp wy of preset such ucomfortble ime. he momet metioed the e, he hd Hs piti, he isited, ws ot bot th clich of the fmily or ythi else i the im:e It ws olely bout the pited surfce s rr:emt of color d form He himself S totlly idieret to the cotet of the photos he used for his pitis d selected them oly o the si of thir color color compositio. compositio. I other words his work ws eclusively out rtrt s it ws the deed by the
A P
reater argi of peroal freedo nd experimetatio th nt I rJr t bom viible i is world. a �rtit COI addrese the k work t; i o 3n ssi cose. of it I o or so s en rt 001 or art deprtettrid individul oeoe whos oi of rtistic lbor s rdy been shpd wih l orinttio towrd the high-rt mrket There rc. i the Nw York re lone. tosnds of such people-painters. scptor. phtrpher. pri1akers rt perforer d oter-oeti wih ec oter o beome viible in thi rke. Tere r mny more wo live elewhere often i iverity own were tey tea rt or r married to hoe w ea Together ll of the people mke hundred f thoJ f works tht are intelligible art to only �l o yr rii d'lers nd tor Thi lt of 3rt :I1 d rits i the nral condition of the art mark't.
rtit k work but ty do ot hve the power to ke their work viible s rt in the hihrt world Their work beco1 hih art whn omeone with utority in tht wor reat it rt Ti hppen in eentilly three wy he work i exhibited i ighrt pae. it is notied in he high-ar prs or it i purced by highrt ollector Te mot plendid deotraion tht the high-rt word vlue n rtis work is wen n impornt useum buys huk of it nd hng it up for everyoe to e ut bfore this hppe rtit ully u ollet vlidtion ovr period of time i he other wys Viibility orlly begins whe reognized high-rt dler or rtor in oe of the mu eum tht cou inlude them in show or gies them one-peron how of their own y doing so. the deler dem ontrte publily th the rtists work hs rt qulity for him or hr Whe deler or curtor exhibit work the r tkin their profeiol judgmens nd reputtions on it If the work i validated lewre or d byer the xhibitor iin or eve i in vlidtin power
tioni ur o produe ritil repore ut by the tie artists uch how. thy h3v ready aived signnt visiiity i arket ood criis vlidate work as high art by pubicy etifyin tht it hs t qiy for the Ty pu o words h epric of work identiyig th ids d elings th work evoke i them nd deribig the spic wy th rtit produe tht ct Critics th deontrat tha th work ha e raenent eain to th ht i gives hpe to or iluminat some feeli vlue or trt tht they hold to be inican and that it doe o in a fr sees pproprie Th qlity o he criic work c b mor or les teted in the ookin eiher you e nd ve the ening he or he poi to or you dont In his wy critic ogther wit dlr d currs. cr n Jrt cntxt or work Thy srud t with itig dicoe d o wit phyicl otext tht prompt its reading r y testifyi o works rt vlue the ritic lso umnt th mrket vlu of work When h uessfuly omu nict his own xperience of the work. he ives it menin nd therefor vlue in the eyes of other The criti thu helps build the rit reputtio n so ives tht reputtin specic cone n the proces he wor bsorb vue b the riti' lor In prctie. hen the est eti nd th eonoi v e ue of thi crtics-whn hey re not being courted by
rtise ofen looked upon wih reentment nd r e peilly open o chrge of colluion nd elf-interet ny of them lo hve izble rt collection) Thee chre r often well deered but mo critic do not hve he uon omous power rtists ttribute to them As w shll see. whaever power hey wield is ultiaely limited by the buyer's
needs everthele ritiim pys a crucial role Critici sors lbel nd meure the worth of rti. rankin them in
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A P
reater argi of peroal freedo nd experimetatio th nt I rJr t bom viible i is world. a �rtit COI addrese the k work t; i o or so s en o it I of cose. ssi 3n rt 001 or art deprtettrid individul oeoe whos oi of rtistic lbor s rdy been shpd wih l orinttio towrd the high-rt mrket There rc. i the Nw York re lone. tosnds of such people-painters. scptor. phtrpher. pri1akers rt perforer d oter-oeti wih ec oter o beome viible in thi rke. Tere r mny more wo live elewhere often i iverity own were tey tea rt or r married to hoe w ea Together ll of the people mke hundred f thoJ f works tht are intelligible art to only �l o yr rii d'lers nd tor Thi lt of 3rt :I1 d rits i the nral condition of the art mark't.
rtit k work but ty do ot hve the power to ke their work viible s rt in the hihrt world Their work beco1 hih art whn omeone with utority in tht wor reat it rt Ti hppen in eentilly three wy he work i exhibited i ighrt pae. it is notied in he high-ar prs or it i purced by highrt ollector Te mot plendid deotraion tht the high-rt word vlue n rtis work is wen n impornt useum buys huk of it nd hng it up for everyoe to e ut bfore this hppe rtit ully u ollet vlidtion ovr period of time i he other wys Viibility orlly begins whe reognized high-rt dler or rtor in oe of the mu eum tht cou inlude them in show or gies them one-peron how of their own y doing so. the deler dem ontrte publily th the rtists work hs rt qulity for him or hr Whe deler or curtor exhibit work the r tkin their profeiol judgmens nd reputtions on it If the work i validated lewre or d byer the xhibitor iin or eve i in vlidtin power Finally. the work beomes high ar when riti tret i s uh in the highart press or in ome other pbli forum t getting ritis' tttion let lone fvorble ttenio fro n ble criti. doe not follow totially from get ing exhibied alhough a xhibition usully provide ritic with he oaio to writ bout a rtit Muh dped po where one is exhibitd ly a hdfl of i g:lerie on asse ht their ows will be otied f course eprso sow i big euthe ultimte eoi
tioni ur o produe ritil repore ut by the tie artists uch how. thy h3v ready aived signnt visiiity i arket
U F
ood criis vlidate work as high art by pubicy etifyin tht it hs t qiy for the Ty pu o words h epric of work identiyig th ids d elings th work evoke i them nd deribig the spic wy th rtit produe tht ct Critics th deontrat tha th work ha e raenent eain to th ht i gives hpe to or iluminat some feeli vlue or trt tht they hold to be inican and that it doe o in a fr sees pproprie Th qlity o he criic work c b mor or les teted in the ookin eiher you e nd ve the ening he or he poi to or you dont In his wy critic ogther wit dlr d currs. cr n Jrt cntxt or work Thy srud t with itig dicoe d o wit phyicl otext tht prompt its reading r y testifyi o works rt vlue the ritic lso umnt th mrket vlu of work When h uessfuly omu nict his own xperience of the work. he ives it menin nd therefor vlue in the eyes of other The criti thu helps build the rit reputtio n so ives tht reputtin specic cone n the proces he wor bsorb vue b the riti' lor In prctie. hen the est eti nd th eonoi v e ue of thi crtics-whn hey re not being courted by
rtise ofen looked upon wih reentment nd r e peilly open o chrge of colluion nd elf-interet ny of them lo hve izble rt collection) Thee chre r often well deered but mo critic do not hve he uon omous power rtists ttribute to them As w shll see. whaever power hey wield is ultiaely limited by the buyer's
needs everthele ritiim pys a crucial role Critici sors lbel nd meure the worth of rti. rankin them in rltion to eh other within one of the ever-shiftin trend tht wf throh the mrket pop urtive br t lyr m. minil neoreim coneptul prformne ptternpinting punk. new wave neoexpresionism nd so on At the se ime individual critic mke heir own bid for ttetion by chmpioning or inventing one or more of the oen trnt rt tred hether or not they ike it or wnt to dmit it. o profeionl artit r forced to kep n eye on the ke Tey know wh rend r cur-
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th labor of artiss hrogo hisory prodtio of rt and rt ods as wys bn onrod by nd rd to he nds of hos who do onro soity rins, kings d bishopshos wo bodied statesay go t r nd he artists they ndd If h rih riss wr o iediay avaib, thy or eir work wr sippd in to ersepois thes Roe Versies, or Tern Or te nessary bor 3 read oy in roy soos r work sops Wit rre epions i arists 3v hd il hoi bt o bor for te rin 3sss of ir is Evn wen s in or soiety, othr sses so s rt, te idivid trid s a high rtist is h3rd p o d srs byo he ing sss for is spiid prots We know a ot abo ow grat ptros of ps oiatd tir ds to ariss ypiay, osio d Mdii, Lois XV d Napoon osy wd ir r is nd riss d, w nssary dirly irvd in tir work h prins d pops of th naiss aso rind dvsors "or 3iss or spi es wo s�sd proras for dortiv shs or soed po tentil r taen Cober ois X Firs Minisr ofen td as th in's etiv rt sprvisor nd lso reatd· te oy dey and its 3r shoo o ensre kin t qtity ad kid ofrt nedd or w ntry t ir inervntion of the paron is rr pt i rhit whr th rditiona arist pro rliosip is sil vib Wn i oes o objts painigs sptr or poorpy od ratiosip hs ben opty r3sford trons who on CO!1 ndd sh works dirtly fro t 3ris ow go o fr arkt ad y t rady-ad d rJdY-1eiat. Insd of rtii prsnal agts ty ow ow art istry deparnt or f s ibiions Nvrte lss t patrns ds ri oving for i ig ar proion, togas diad by ritiistos ds now 3pr as siy atooos rt ioois ve sressed way te onsraits of art word
d in hisoria rity In history r rtists d ot rist s n bsrtion hv d to srviv witin so rtions of rt prodion Wit rre eptios ty v d o work for soon nd os worki ariss v no siiny ransnded iter h doi idoois
or e establised ar modes of their im. Tose who did •
WH U
RT \
\
of en hd the sU 'ppOrt of n emrgi soci cass whse vlues wre not notabl more ibring thn those hy wer dispin As for ibrtig powr of rt one a rgue s esily t r, f from bin ibrtin, tends o oppres-! I
sive, a it mysis nd disorts th word in the interess: I,
of fw or, ik rit i ob jcis socially deros; \ impuses oy o ontin hm i hrmess nd symboli I for. I fact ch of onn rt of t pas dos
js is. t is is ot o sy l rt, by dnition, is opprssiv. My pon s t r is no cosd ctgory wit inrn d xed qiis ood or bd, librtin or
opprssive Nevrlss, r v be ariss wo sigiaty op posd th rin vs nd bifs o tir day owhr is his oppsitio r widesprad han i intntetry Pris tn pita of e Wsern rt rkt rtists s as Man Des, Pissrro Mnet Vn Gog ad Set strippd teir work of reive ideas a rated w t s oser to ir ow aiatd ife pi isoltio d povry ta so of es n drd s wll know ir sitaio was isorialy borl ost soiis ri powrs kw ow to attrat orgai ad s t bs artisi talt arrs of pressioists nd ostIprssionists fldd i a priod of rapd ad far rachng (i a sil cha F3nc capl w jus i t prss of boi omnan ad d ot yt ard to reogie its parir nds i rt Sti, evn i t 7os wa it poa t Iprssiists a fro ts rt rop! y t sitio ws re norn progrssiv apiiss ow drstood ow tey old s ovenioa piri of avatgrd Fro tispoi
A P
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th labor of artiss hrogo hisory prodtio of rt and rt ods as wys bn onrod by nd rd to he nds of hos who do onro soity rins, kings d bishopshos wo bodied statesay go t r nd he artists they ndd If h rih riss wr o iediay avaib, thy or eir work wr sippd in to ersepois thes Roe Versies, or Tern Or te nessary bor 3 read oy in roy soos r work sops Wit rre epions i arists 3v hd il hoi bt o bor for te rin 3sss of ir is Evn wen s in or soiety, othr sses so s rt, te idivid trid s a high rtist is h3rd p o d srs byo he ing sss for is spiid prots We know a ot abo ow grat ptros of ps oiatd tir ds to ariss ypiay, osio d Mdii, Lois XV d Napoon osy wd ir r is nd riss d, w nssary dirly irvd in tir work h prins d pops of th naiss aso rind dvsors "or 3iss or spi es wo s�sd proras for dortiv shs or soed po tentil r taen Cober ois X Firs Minisr ofen td as th in's etiv rt sprvisor nd lso reatd· te oy dey and its 3r shoo o ensre kin t qtity ad kid ofrt nedd or w ntry t ir inervntion of the paron is rr pt i rhit whr th rditiona arist pro rliosip is sil vib Wn i oes o objts painigs sptr or poorpy od ratiosip hs ben opty r3sford trons who on CO!1 ndd sh works dirtly fro t 3ris ow go o fr arkt ad y t rady-ad d rJdY-1eiat. Insd of rtii prsnal agts ty ow ow art istry deparnt or f s ibiions Nvrte lss t patrns ds ri oving for i ig ar proion, togas diad by ritiistos ds now 3pr as siy atooos rt ioois ve sressed way te onsraits of art word shpe ad iit ivs of professiona riss oy bse i is so srronded by ais of frdo ad nivr siy e ide f r as a r of frdo ad ivrsiy is tral not only in doiH ibra trdiio bt aso aong f ritis of riion who hv ow ver sions of i er, r is ofn giv ibrig issio or onivd s o in whi idoogy is rasded S ids, lhogh bndn in phiosopy r dift o
otrol th m of thir frdom ad th f thir
C r r
' wok
T bg booby-trappi it. Thy patd tr
i go vlar or low" art bjt itdd to rpl hh
rt di pt j ito thir work mad thig that lf trt r rfd to mak objt altogthr rfr of or t th or aggrv ati-art momt of th avat rdto t ol Ftrim, ad abov all th ati of d Th irt objt ad vt hathd by Dhamp, M Ray Krt hwttr, ad th Grm Dadat wr poitdly ovd a art oaio that old nt rlt xp , hig-art ommoditi. Dd a art for artit mh of it w ltrlly dtroyd i th i
I I
Bt a it td ot, i th modr art world to brak th rl to follow thm Th avatard wa alrady a markt whr ybol at of frdom rrvr or abrdity wr vald ad trd to objt of hag From th bii, atagoim toward tablihd gh art ldig ytrday avt-ard art wa a ary attrbt of th mod artit a i of h or hr fr ovatv prt T trglig agait thr otrat artt tghtd th kot Tr ow rvival itrt, thr alato fro traditioal ltr, ad all th d that mad thm artit i th rt pla dovtaild with th markt' apptit for trillig ad ymboli advtr Tothr artt riti dalr ad byr fod way to ommodify v artt rbllio ait th markt. m today w a Dada objt or rplia of ttioally dtroyd o rv rtly italld i la a lik o may tra lttl ar tifat May yar aftr Dda, Nw York artit wold rdiovr imlar trat Happ optal ad prforma art wold rapitlat mh th am drama Rli of th movmt too a b i th mm, proprly diplayd a high art. Th v wh rtt hav prottd th to whh hih art i pt ad hav bilt that prott ito thir art, tr itrvtio hav had oly tm porary or lmitd t For all thir vatd frdom, high artit if thy ar to b vibl a high artit, hav lttl hoi abot how thr work i d; ad that ba a hih �ss hy o hoos whh bss ty wll sv
d in hisoria rity In history r rtists d ot rist s n bsrtion hv d to srviv witin so rtions of rt prodion Wit rre eptios ty v d o work for soon nd os worki ariss v no siiny ransnded iter h doi idoois
or e establised ar modes of their im. Tose who did •
WH U
RT \
\
of en hd the sU 'ppOrt of n emrgi soci cass whse vlues wre not notabl more ibring thn those hy wer dispin As for ibrtig powr of rt one a rgue s esily t r, f from bin ibrtin, tends o oppres-! I
sive, a it mysis nd disorts th word in the interess: I,
of fw or, ik rit i ob jcis socially deros; \ impuses oy o ontin hm i hrmess nd symboli I for. I fact ch of onn rt of t pas dos
js is. t is is ot o sy l rt, by dnition, is opprssiv. My pon s t r is no cosd ctgory wit inrn d xed qiis ood or bd, librtin or
opprssive Nevrlss, r v be ariss wo sigiaty op posd th rin vs nd bifs o tir day owhr is his oppsitio r widesprad han i intntetry Pris tn pita of e Wsern rt rkt rtists s as Man Des, Pissrro Mnet Vn Gog ad Set strippd teir work of reive ideas a rated w t s oser to ir ow aiatd ife pi isoltio d povry ta so of es n drd s wll know ir sitaio was isorialy borl ost soiis ri powrs kw ow to attrat orgai ad s t bs artisi talt arrs of pressioists nd ostIprssionists fldd i a priod of rapd ad far rachng (i a sil cha F3nc capl w jus i t prss of boi omnan ad d ot yt ard to reogie its parir nds i rt Sti, evn i t 7os wa it poa t Iprssiists a fro ts rt rop! y t sitio ws re norn progrssiv apiiss ow drstood ow tey old s ovenioa piri of avatgrd Fro tispoi on th odrn r arke ook shp s hven for aind parid nd idisi antb hvn wose fr dos wod b iitd by th nds of its dventos ap itais spporrs rein is strggl of e oder ris h ery dedes of the twtith nry e ey day of vngardis it sed asir to be e syst Bt onrdiion nd bivns wer lways ther ready in the eens avnard artists ade ttepts o
\
lr ood For t mot part thr trl i ot o mh agait ytm bt for rviva with it Ubl to hal th otrollig powr of th markt mot of thm k to ovi th markt of th val maig ad hghrt of tr prod. artt ar ao idvdalt wo r oft altd fom tablihd high-art ltr Thir oppoitoif ot poltali ly flt ad prd a a mpl to at th ida of art itl Ad it i th ltral oppoitio that dmi i almot all modrt art ld rt art mad for markt orolld by orporat patroa o wa or aoth almot ll of th movmt of m tram modrm ildg Abtrat Eprom ad Pop dlard thmlv aat aptd art val Ev mal art whh domatd th mm-gallry tab lhmt th t ad vt ba with a impl to gat t bt prattor td that thr w othig in thr work byod t litral form thmlvo fr mato of t hmat vl of Abtrat Eprioim Aordily, rit tatly izd po th w tyl ad totd it a arato of th da of art tlf Ty hild t la ool form a momt of a p abolt, ad prftly mpty fr(�dom rhap othig bttr tha Mimal domt th otradtio hh artt liv th ty mpod by th markt to ommodfy th prt artt mpl to.prott that ommodiatio ad th ommoato of that mpl to prott Bt Dada t ot to ba th ytm by ot prodi ommo ti< Mimal ad th othr trd lk it admittd impot om th tart ad mtly hdd ovr th ood Thr alo a lo ad trtig advrary traditio i rtim Si th htth try, from Didrot to or ow tim, rta rtr hv t thmlv i oppoitio to tablihd art prat ad th artti od thy mbody Mot of tho riti rmmbrd today hampiod w or mrt art tyl that wr trgli for high-art rQ ito Lk th artt thy advoatd thy ar portrayd by art hitory a atagot hro who jdmt htory wold br ot Aordig to that hitory, thr al v
otrol th m of thir frdom ad th f thir
C r r
' wok
T bg booby-trappi it. Thy patd tr
i go vlar or low" art bjt itdd to rpl hh
rt di pt j ito thir work mad thig that lf trt r rfd to mak objt altogthr rfr of or t th or aggrv ati-art momt of th avat rdto t ol Ftrim, ad abov all th ati of d Th irt objt ad vt hathd by Dhamp, M Ray Krt hwttr, ad th Grm Dadat wr poitdly ovd a art oaio that old nt rlt xp , hig-art ommoditi. Dd a art for artit mh of it w ltrlly dtroyd i th i Bt a it td ot, i th modr art world to brak th rl to follow thm Th avatard wa alrady a markt whr ybol at of frdom rrvr or abrdity wr vald ad trd to objt of hag From th bii, atagoim toward tablihd gh art ldig ytrday avt-ard art wa a ary attrbt of th mod artit a i of h or hr fr ovatv prt T trglig agait thr otrat artt tghtd th kot Tr ow rvival itrt, thr alato fro traditioal ltr, ad all th d that mad thm artit i th rt pla dovtaild with th markt' apptit for trillig ad ymboli advtr Tothr artt riti dalr ad byr fod way to ommodify v artt rbllio ait th markt. m today w a Dada objt or rplia of ttioally dtroyd o rv rtly italld i la a lik o may tra lttl ar tifat May yar aftr Dda, Nw York artit wold rdiovr imlar trat Happ optal ad prforma art wold rapitlat mh th am drama Rli of th movmt too a b i th mm, proprly diplayd a high art. Th v wh rtt hav prottd th to whh hih art i pt ad hav bilt that prott ito thir art, tr itrvtio hav had oly tm porary or lmitd t For all thir vatd frdom, high artit if thy ar to b vibl a high artit, hav lttl hoi abot how thr work i d; ad that ba a hih �ss hy o hoos whh bss ty wll sv o b r t otio that avat-ard art i ihrtly oppoitoal aot b trly dmid t w mt r oiz that artt' trl to otrol th ma of tr work ar ot a la trl btw apitalit ad a pro ltarat. artt ar mall idpdt mafatrr of
I I HR
certan artsts that hd no maning or us for othrsin the ';ork of th Naturalsts, at, Cubs,· nd Abstract Exprssonism. They not only pckd th wnnrs of future art hstory, thy also artculatd nw art idologs But f hstory vndcatd ther judgmnts, t was bcaus Qant socil groups, old or newly arrved,ound that art relevant o ther chnng nterests, x
, A nd thr social power nabld them to shape high cultur
in thr own mag. What plasd, convncd and moved
thm thus became "unvrsal-at last for a tm Th hstory of art crtcsm, then, is vry much a part of th history of the bourgos W can se that hstory in sharpest detail in France, the international center of art pro ducton n the estern world up until th 0S Th crtc rst appard ther as sgncant cultural forc n th latr igtnth cntury, at prcsly th momnt whn th bourgeois was rady to make a decisv bd for stat powr Crtcsm thu appard as part of a struggl n which th mergent borgeos sought to appropriate high art for its on use. For decades th battlegroud was the Academy and th pont of contntion was whose nds acadmc art woud serve Increasngly, Salon art found ways to speak to and for th bourgos, whose rowng arms of critcs patrolled its xhibitions and hawked ther pamhlets at the door. Around the mddl of the nnetenth century a secon d front began opening up, the nfant allery systm At rst it was adunct to the Academy, a oldfashoned corporate structure but stll the chef source of validation. Eventually, the allery would suck validtng power awy from the Academy. The decsive momnt was the Imprssionst boycott of the ocial Slon th 0S and the coincdental rse of DurandRuel and the other mportant dalers rom then on, th dominant social relatons of art producton would be organzed around a free, compettve markt system Th Academy quickly withered away as a signicnt insttuton n the producton of hgh art.
\
lr ood For t mot part thr trl i ot o mh agait ytm bt for rviva with it Ubl to hal th otrollig powr of th markt mot of thm k to ovi th markt of th val maig ad hghrt of tr prod. artt ar ao idvdalt wo r oft altd fom tablihd high-art ltr Thir oppoitoif ot poltali ly flt ad prd a a mpl to at th ida of art itl Ad it i th ltral oppoitio that dmi i almot all modrt art ld rt art mad for markt orolld by orporat patroa o wa or aoth almot ll of th movmt of m tram modrm ildg Abtrat Eprom ad Pop dlard thmlv aat aptd art val Ev mal art whh domatd th mm-gallry tab lhmt th t ad vt ba with a impl to gat t bt prattor td that thr w othig in thr work byod t litral form thmlvo fr mato of t hmat vl of Abtrat Eprioim Aordily, rit tatly izd po th w tyl ad totd it a arato of th da of art tlf Ty hild t la ool form a momt of a p abolt, ad prftly mpty fr(�dom rhap othig bttr tha Mimal domt th otradtio hh artt liv th ty mpod by th markt to ommodfy th prt artt mpl to.prott that ommodiatio ad th ommoato of that mpl to prott Bt Dada t ot to ba th ytm by ot prodi ommo ti< Mimal ad th othr trd lk it admittd impot om th tart ad mtly hdd ovr th ood
Thr alo a lo ad trtig advrary traditio i rtim Si th htth try, from Didrot to or ow tim, rta rtr hv t thmlv i oppoitio to tablihd art prat ad th artti od thy mbody Mot of tho riti rmmbrd today hampiod w or mrt art tyl that wr trgli for high-art rQ ito Lk th artt thy advoatd thy ar portrayd by art hitory a atagot hro who jdmt htory wold br ot Aordig to that hitory, thr al v dato a mattr of athti or tat or om mytro je ne sas quoi that abld thm to div th of th or that artit or rop Th plaato, a far a it o, i tr. Thor Badlar Zola Ror Fry, Harold Robr, ad th othr ol aliti ad val th work of
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dentive reconuest of museum space An importnt eary moment in that battle as the open of the Museum o Modern Art's nw buildng in 3 followed, ater Word War l, by a vrtul owerng of other modern museums an modrn wngs older musums. We are st n that x pnd phse. A the same tie tht ode art ouere th museum, t also nvaded th art schools and unversiy arthistory dpamnts, th placs that tran hgh artists hghart medators and hghrt users. These dvelopmnts, too, chroncle the rowth of capitalism and its rval sctors, personed by Morgan th Rockfellers, the Mellons, and now BM Exxon Mobl, and the other rat patrons who "ive us ih t. In all of these struggles crtcis h fouht not aganst hgh art but for control over t, hle those hose vlus it promoted struggld for control over other aspcts of society These various stuggls, each necssary to the other, have been dernt sds in the same battle. For no as in the past, hih art exsts largely at the wll nd for the use of wealt and power-nd I would add that t exsts for the most prt as a mans of keping that ower in plac
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Th hihart world moopoles hghrt prestge, but t does not orgie all ceative la bor. Eve wthn its shfting spaces thr ar pockts of contradcton and fring areas orth ghtng for-f thats where you ar and f you can aord to choose your compromises. There s also art spac outsde s urisdition. _ . Rcntly, I sw a exhibition about th Vietnam War consstng mostly of ork by Vetnam veterans trained as artists 10 The enre evnt came about because of the dter minaton of its initial oranier, the artist and Vetnam vet Rchard Strndber, to nd other vet artists and mak a col lectv vsual sttement bout ther ar experienc. Rather than showcasin artists, the exhibtions focus was kept on th varied and contrdictory ays people urvved the ar physically, emoionally, and moral1y. Some of th exhbiting
WH RL H R
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certan artsts that hd no maning or us for othrsin the ';ork of th Naturalsts, at, Cubs,· nd Abstract Exprssonism. They not only pckd th wnnrs of future art hstory, thy also artculatd nw art idologs But f hstory vndcatd ther judgmnts, t was bcaus Qant socil groups, old or newly arrved,ound that art relevant o ther chnng nterests, x
, A nd thr social power nabld them to shape high cultur
in thr own mag. What plasd, convncd and moved
thm thus became "unvrsal-at last for a tm Th hstory of art crtcsm, then, is vry much a part of th history of the bourgos W can se that hstory in sharpest detail in France, the international center of art pro ducton n the estern world up until th 0S Th crtc rst appard ther as sgncant cultural forc n th latr igtnth cntury, at prcsly th momnt whn th bourgeois was rady to make a decisv bd for stat powr Crtcsm thu appard as part of a struggl n which th mergent borgeos sought to appropriate high art for its on use. For decades th battlegroud was the Academy and th pont of contntion was whose nds acadmc art woud serve Increasngly, Salon art found ways to speak to and for th bourgos, whose rowng arms of critcs patrolled its xhibitions and hawked ther pamhlets at the door. Around the mddl of the nnetenth century a secon d front began opening up, the nfant allery systm At rst it was adunct to the Academy, a oldfashoned corporate structure but stll the chef source of validation. Eventually, the allery would suck validtng power awy from the Academy. The decsive momnt was the Imprssionst boycott of the ocial Slon th 0S and the coincdental rse of DurandRuel and the other mportant dalers rom then on, th dominant social relatons of art producton would be organzed around a free, compettve markt system Th Academy quickly withered away as a signicnt insttuton n the producton of hgh art. At ts pont, too, the role of the crtc as a specialed mediator beteen producer and user grew into a profession ts on rht. Of the critics I have entoned here, Roer Fry as the rst ho made a good livn s fulltime editor of both modern d older art J. P. Moran when he ra the Metropoltn Museum, eve sent for hm o put the museum into shape. The relationship dd not last lon, but t antcpated the next mor vctory o mode art: ts
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dentive reconuest of museum space An importnt eary moment in that battle as the open of the Museum o Modern Art's nw buildng in 3 followed, ater Word War l, by a vrtul owerng of other modern museums an modrn wngs older musums. We are st n that x pnd phse. A the same tie tht ode art ouere th museum, t also nvaded th art schools and unversiy arthistory dpamnts, th placs that tran hgh artists hghart medators and hghrt users. These dvelopmnts, too, chroncle the rowth of capitalism and its rval sctors, personed by Morgan th Rockfellers, the Mellons, and now BM Exxon Mobl, and the other rat patrons who "ive us ih t. In all of these struggles crtcis h fouht not aganst hgh art but for control over t, hle those hose vlus it promoted struggld for control over other aspcts of society These various stuggls, each necssary to the other, have been dernt sds in the same battle. For no as in the past, hih art exsts largely at the wll nd for the use of wealt and power-nd I would add that t exsts for the most prt as a mans of keping that ower in plac
WH RL H R
(
Th hihart world moopoles hghrt prestge, but t does not orgie all ceative la bor. Eve wthn its shfting spaces thr ar pockts of contradcton and fring areas orth ghtng for-f thats where you ar and f you can aord to choose your compromises. There s also art spac outsde s urisdition. _ . Rcntly, I sw a exhibition about th Vietnam War consstng mostly of ork by Vetnam veterans trained as artists 10 The enre evnt came about because of the dter minaton of its initial oranier, the artist and Vetnam vet Rchard Strndber, to nd other vet artists and mak a col lectv vsual sttement bout ther ar experienc. Rather than showcasin artists, the exhibtions focus was kept on th varied and contrdictory ays people urvved the ar physically, emoionally, and moral1y. Some of th exhbiting artsts mary o whom re strulng n th market, wer reluctant to show these prticulr works-es of solders, Saion children wouded friends, uns nd reades-untl they learned who controlled the shows context and for what purpose. They understood that n the hhart world th maning of thee works as lkely to become dstorted and the xperence thn them xploted n the name of art. They rcogned however, that ths exhibtion created a context
whh thei eds od aa ot simly as ofessoa hh asts bt as me who d the tama ad of Vetam Vietam who ow wat to seak of tht exe ince d whse meas of exessio hae to be the isl Jtss ddess s i this wy abot ise o eta to ode fe Tht sh effots e a s ot the ft of atists. Whe the est of s ot oy make ew demads o at bt so he t ew coxts w hes of distitio d w modes of ot we shall he at we ca s. NTE
Ea Cock croft A bstrat E xpressionism Wapon o fthe Cold War "
whh thei eds od aa ot simly as ofessoa hh asts bt as me who d the tama ad of Vetam Vietam who ow wat to seak of tht exe ince d whse meas of exessio hae to be the isl Jtss ddess s i this wy abot ise o eta to ode fe Tht sh effots e a s ot the ft of atists. Whe the est of s ot oy make ew demads o at bt so he t ew coxts w hes of distitio d w modes of ot we shall he at we ca s. NTE
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Ea Cock croft A bstrat E xpressionism.. Wapon o fthe Cold War " Aroum, Jue 97 4 pp 3 9-4 1 fance K Phl An Amra Vnice: Ben hahn ad Untd t,t Forg Poy t 94 Vee Binnae Ar Histry vol 4 no I S n aa cke Workn diin Arjor ummr 198 pp 6-61, fr a suerb analysis ofth mpat o forpOrt neds o the at world arol Duan and Alan Wallah The Mus eu m of Moder Art as Lat Capitalist Ritual Marxs Ppcvs Wintr 1978 pp 2 8 - 5 1 . or a thorouh disussion of this ne subjctiity ad th modr odiios n whih it arises se Eli Zaretsky Caias h� Faly and Persa LIfe (New York: Hapr olopho 1976) Jos rta y Gasst T D/uanzaon oAr New York Anchor ooks 9) pp 67 Mihl Mlot issarro A Aarhistic Artist i 10 Maxs Psps Witr 97 pp -54 Rto oioli Th Thr h Aa-ar ra n Grald itz rald (Nw York lo Editios 1971) Qtios to Stlla an d udd intiw by ru Glasr d by Lcy Lippard i Grory attock d .• Mna Ar (Nw Yrk uto 8 pp 14-164 S y rport " th Ey of th Sol n T(s Tms 9 Jaary 982 pid t h s pp 8
