Video Review Wk 15

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T. J. Clark: The main concept of this video is an interview by T.J Clark of one of Abstract Expressionisms principle artists, Clement Greenburg. In this interview they discuss the evolution of art criticism and issues surrounding modernist painting. The conversation spotlights Greenberg’s reflections on his career and its place in art theory, journalism, and philosophy of aesthetics. Greenberg also shares a number of insights on the relationship between art and history, the nature of value judgments in criticism, and what he calls America’s post-WWII “culture boom”.

Greenberg on Pollock: An Interview by T. J. Clark: The main concept of this video is an interview by T.J Clark of one of Abstract Expressionisms principle artists, Clement Greenburg. In this interview they discuss career, working method, and legacy of Jackson Pollock. This video focuses on Pollock’s work from the mid-1940s onward and highlights Greenberg’s firsthand observations of the artist in his studio. Greenburg states that Pollock was an outsider but practical and pretentious. He also reflects on a supposed transition from easel to mural painting.

An Introduction to the Italian Renaissance: Giorgio Vasari’s Lives of the Artists has been the basis of art criticism since the 16th century. This program illustrates how each master of art developed their techniques by building upon the work of their predecessors. The discussion between Master Vasari and his apprentice reveals the innovations of artists such as Giotto, Ghiberti, Donatello, Uccello, Masaccio, Della Francesca, Botticelli, Leonardo, Raffaello, and Michelangelo. Images of selected in this video illustrate the Roman influence on Renaissance art and reinforce the concepts of perspective, balance, chiaroscuro, composition, and realism.

 The Critics: Stories from the Inside Pages: This film is about the journey of Dr. Dwight DeWerth-Pallmeyer to answer the question, “How do critics serve the public and the artistic community. Pallmeyer interviews people such as Good Morning America film reviewer Joel Siegel, Time magazine film critic Richard Schickel, Nashville Scene music critic Bill Friskics-Warren, and Fresh Air book critic Maureen Corrigan. The result is an in-depth look at criticism as an art form, the social value of a critic’s work, and the various ways that critics began their careers.

The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture: The film is about the 1900 World’s Fair which in its time was promoted as a celebration of foreign ethnicities, but is seen now as a spectacle of Eurocentric myopia. Using photographs, film clips, and posters from the fair with commentary from renowned art historians the program lays bare the conceit. Offerings from collections and museums across the world are also featured. The result is a look at the ways in which western prejudice, ethnography, and art consumption have counteracted authentic intercultural dialog.

Jackson Pollock: Michael Fried and T. J. Clark in Conversation: This video is about a discussion between two critics, T.J. Clark and Michael Fried. Clark is concerned primarily with the sociopolitical history of art, whereas, Fried is a proponent of aesthetically based views of painting and sculpture. The video shows how the two artists try to obtain common ground. The two critics study two works of Jackson Pollack; these pieces are Lavender Mist and Autumn Rhythm.

2. Do the videos relate to the creation of your Art Criticism project? If yes, explain how. If no, explain why not.

Yes the videos do relate to the creation of my art criticism project. These videos relate because the videos cover the views of critics and show the process of how real critics critique works. By watching these videos it helped me to complete my project.

3. What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of art criticism?

The films are interesting and well made. They add depth to understanding of art criticism by showing how the process works, and how the process has evolved through history. They also elaborate on the careers or critiques and show how they do their job.