Journalism and Art Criticism

Author(s): Jerome J. Hausman

Source: Art Journal, Vol. 26, No. 1 (Autumn, 1966), pp. 18-20
Published by: College Art Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/775012
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 art being shown in museums and galleries is referred to as
Jerome J. Hausman being unquestionably one of the many functions of jour-
nalism. As a matter of fact, virtually all large journals
Journalism and Art Criticism retain a so-called "art critic" with specified assignments
for writing about art. For the most part, however, what
goes on under the guise of criticism can be described as
If one were to take the range of people who acall convenient tailoring of journalistic space with words
themselves "artists" and refer to what they do as "art," that
or purport to deal with critical problems.
if one were to take the range of people who call them- My observation is that it has been all too simple for
persons engaged as "critics" to resort to invective, cliche,
selves "critics" and refer to what they do as "criticism,"
or if one were to take the range of people who call them-and/or other remarks to catch the fancy or play on the
selves "journalists" and refer to what they do as "jour- prejudices of readers. Some would rationalize this situa-
tion by pointing out that a newspaper is a journal of
nalism,"-we would have a rather diverse (and motley)
grouping of individuals. This is so much the case that daily
I events; it is discarded in a day or two and not kept
as a documentary of serious writing. Others would ob-
think it a hopeless matter to refer to what artists, critics,
and journalists do as if they comprised homogeneous serve that serious writing about art should be reserved
groupings-with commonly accepted goals, purposes,for andmore scholarly journals. Still others would place em-
universes of discourse. When I make reference to artists, phasis on style and format rather than serious critical
critics, or journalists, one can only assume that I am re- writing-it helps to sell more papers and provides some
ferring to some of the people and situations that I have information to large groups of people. The forces that
known. Rather than assuming that these conditions pre- contribute to this unfortunate state of affairs are large
vail for everyone, one can only conclude that certain per- and complex. I will only refer to two very general areas:
sons and their efforts have made sufficient impact on my 1) the basic problems of art criticism are themselves
views to warrant reference to them at this time. complicated-the critic must have the capacity and disci-
Let me begin with some all-too-simple assertions: art pline to deal with the changing nature of art itself, to
criticism should deal directly with the art objects being tolerate ambiguity and struggle in reaching toward clari-
criticized. The politics, personality, and polemics of the ty of new ideas and experiences as embodied in works of
artist, his dealer, and his patron are peripheral to the job art, and
of criticism. Art criticism involves giving an account of a 2) the forces of popularization, mechanization, and
work of art and evaluating its merit. The critic is con- mass culture have succeeded in watering down (indeed,
cerned with apprehension, with making judgments of in many instances, destroying) both art criticism and
quality or value, with knowing art in its most personal journalism; this is the impact of that phenomenon to
context, and with articulating value judgments with clar- which the Germans have given the name: Kitsch; others
ity and discipline. have referred to it as the "culture industry."
As I am using it, the term "journalist" refers to an Let me return to the first point: At its best, the task
editor or other professional writer for a newspaper, mag- of criticism poses a difficult and demanding problem. It
azine, or other kind of periodical. One might properly was Valery who wrote, "No one can say what will be
expand the term to include all of those professionals who dead or alive tomorrow in literature, philosophy, aesthet-
engage in the reporting of news and the commenting on ics: no one yet knows what ideas and modes of expression
ideas and events through our mass media: movies, televi- will be inscribed on the casualty list, what novelties will
sion and radio as well as the press. "Journalists," in this be proclaimed."
sense, represent a powerful force in the structuring and By pointing to the dynamics of change in contempo-
disseminating of ideas. rary art, I would not want it thought that I am making
There has been a tremendous impact of mass media reference to a completely contemporary phenomenon. It
upon human values. In this paper, I shall only focus may well be that the rate of change and the speed and
upon a limited part of the great problem posed by the pervasiveness with which images can be communicated is
mass media: the problems and consequences of "journal- presenting us with a unique context. Problems of judg-
ism" and "art criticism" as they are practiced today. My ment are made more difficult and complex by the fantas-
observation is that journalism and art criticism as pur- tic array of imagery to which we are being subjected. Im-
sued in America have been caught up in the larger forces ages that derive their meanings and significance from
of commercialism and superficiality that so dominate our different contexts are conveyed instantaneously by our
times. Ironically, the phenomena to which I am referring mass media. What is not conveyed are the insights and
are taking place in the midst of a "culture boom." More experiences out of which the objects have emerged, the
people are "looking at" and "reading about" art than sense for the artist's forming of ideas and feelings out of a
ever before. Reporting and commenting upon works of particular tradition and set of values.

ART JOURNAL XXVI I 18

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 At its base, however, art forms have always changed, the vast machinery of kitsch has succeeded in gaining
the very nature of art mandates such changes in form and more converts than enemies. Ambitious painters, sculp-
style. "'Art', itself is an open concept. New conditions tors, and writers have been known to modify, then ra-
(cases) have constantly arisen and will undoubtedly con- tionalize, their work under the pressures of "making a
stantly arise; new art forms, new movements will emerge, buck." Some museums and galleries have altered their
which will demand decisions on the part of the inter- programs to meet the needs of public relations pressures;
ested, usually professional critics, as to whether the con- some journals have controlled their enthusiasm and di-
cept should be extended or not."1 Critics must face their rections for approval in accordance with the tactics of
task as one of identifying and articulating values as success in the market place.
reflected in emerging works of art. This involves a sense for All of this suggests a rather loosely framed list of
the traditions out of which the art work arises; necessari- suggestions for art critics and journalists:3
ly, this also involves the identification of new values 1) Necessarily, criticism involves the use of categories
through a particular instance-the newly perceived art and systems to describe and evaluate a work of art. Crit-
form. Art criticism can never be fully "objective"; the ics need to beware of building defensive barriers against
critic is subjectively involved through his values and per- new ideas and forms by applying "values" presumably
ceptions. Each moment of making judgments demands drawn from a fixed system of truth about what is "good"
that one reach back into tradition and ahead into the fu- and "beautiful" and "art." What is even worse is the crit-
ture. There can be no fixed "truths" or pat answers to ic whose ego involvement with his own systems precludes
take care of all contingencies. Efforts to control or fix the
or possibility of seeing "beyond his own nose." Putting
simplify criteria so that there can be "stability" and it simply, criticism must be open to innovations in art.
"confidence" only serve to heighten a sense of frustration. 2) It is a truism to assert that art derives from art;
It is, however, this trend toward simplification and theno man is independent of his predecessors. What the art-
superficial acceptance of critical values that leads to my
ist does becomes inventive by departing from the preced-
second concern: the insidious forces of popularization ing forms of art. Critics need to bring knowledge and un-
and mass culture that seems to be enveloping the arts.derstanding of the traditions of art to their judgments;
In his essay "Avant-Garde and Kitsch,"2 Clement they need to be able to see art in its broadest context-
Greenberg points out that "Kitsch is mechanical and op- from the moment of perceiving a work to the forces (past
erates by formulas. Kitsch is vicarious experience and and present) that give it its meaning and significance.
faked sensations. Kitsch changes according to style, but 3) Critics need to beware of certain other traps: they
always remains the same . . . when enough time hascannot duck the question of quality of shifting the
elapsed the new is looted for new "twists," which are
ground of their discussion to what has been called "the
then watered down and served up as kitsch.... Because
swampy ground of aesthetic dispute."4 We know no more
it can be turned out mechanically, kitsch has become about
an a painting when we have read an analysis of how
integral part of our productive system in a way in which
difficult it is to make an aesthetic judgment. Critics must
true culture could never be, except accidentally. It has
also avoid treating each work of art as if it embodied all
been capitalized at a tremendous investment which must of art. The generalizations pertaining to all of art or a
show commensurate returns; it is compelled to extend asperiod of art can only provide background material for
well as to keep its market. While it is essentially its own viewing what in the end is an individual and unique
salesman, a great sales apparatus has nevertheless beenhuman effort.
created for it, which brings pressure to bear on every 4) It follows that: At all points, criticism must be
member of society." Herein, rests the key point in the engaged with the realities of the art work that has been
problem involving art criticism and journalism: on the produced. Critics need to beware of writing about that
one hand, the proper concern of art criticism is to place which is peripheral to art and then mistaking it for criti-
art in its framework of serious human activity involving cism. Criticism has nothing to do with the work of fea-
depth of ideas and integrity of action; on the other hand, ture writers, public relations men, dealers, and specula-
there is the pervasive force of kitsch culture that seeks totors. Nor should critics engage in the fabricating of pseu-
water-down, make sentimental and simple, and slick, the
'I am indebted to Harold Rosenberg for many of the
efforts of artists. Unfortunately, the enormous profits and
persuasive forces of power and prestige that accrue from
ideas contained in my "suggestions." Some of these were
presented in his paper "Criticism and its Premises" at
'Morris Weitz, "The Role of Theory in Aesthetics,"
the Seminar on Research and Curriculum Development,
Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism. Vol. XV, No. 1,
sponsored by the U.S. Office of Education at the Pennsyl-
September, 1956, p. 27-35. vania State University, August 30-September 9, 1965.
2Clement Greenberg, "Avant-Garde and Kitsch," Art 4See Harold Rosenberg, The Tradition of the New, New
and Culture, Boston: Beacon Press, 1961, p. 3-21. York: Grove Press, Inc., 1961, p. 262.

19 Housman: Journalism and Art Criticism

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do-events about art. These things may make for inter- of money, gossip, and anxiety."7 Artists are pressured to
esting reading; they may sell newspapers, but . . . this be close to the "center of power," to see and know and be
brings me to my next point. seen with the "right" people. I can only urge that all
5) Criticism should not be confused with reporting men of understanding and good will (including critics
or reviewing news about art events or personalities. News- and journalists) can and should help to foster greater
worthy events should be reported; of course, there is the clarity and discipline in identifying intrinsic rather than
need for the listing of exhibitions. The real difficulty instrumental values in judging art.
arises when the function of "reviewing" takes on a "criti- Overall, I tend to be rather pessimistic about many
cal" task; namely, that of evaluating what an artist has aspects of our culture. It is as if our "efforts" to enlarge
done within a preset format in terms of length and style. our world have met with an opposite effect. "Nearly ev-
The listing of exhibitions with a two or three line com- erything we do to enlarge our world, to make life more
mentary (which somehow has to include the artist's interesting, more varied, more exciting, more vivid, more
name, place of exhibition, dates, prices, and some vague 'fabulous', more promising, in the long run has an op-
sense of appraisal) has nothing to do with serious criti- posite effect. In the extravagance of our expectations and
cism. in our ever increasing power, we transform elusive
6) Words are the tools and the traps of critics. Much dreams into graspable images withi.n which each of us
as a speaker needs to be wary of falling in love with the can fit. By doing so we mark the boundaries of our world
sound of his own voice, a critic needs to watch out for the with a wall of mirrors. Our strengths and elaborate
trap of developing a private vocabulary. Criticism should efforts to enlarge experience have the unintended result
not be confused with bad prose poetry. Language should of narrowing it. In, frenetic quest for the unexpected, we
not be used to construct a veil that clouds and confuses a end by finding only the unexpectedness we have planned
work. Efforts to clarify and raise the level of taste and for ourselves. We meet ourselves coming back."s
discrimination should not be confused with oversim- It is not preordained that those who work hard and
plification, mysticism, or distortion.5 are good men and are talented will succeed. My general
impression is that all is not well with the situations of art
7) Critics, journalists, indeed, all of us, should resist
the intrusions of kitsch. Indeed, there are those who critics and journalists in America. Then again, all is not
point to colleges, universities, foundations, and museums well with America and our world. All of this should move
as participating (willingly or not) with the mass media in responsible men to greater efforts. In a way, the problem is
a gigantic sale of avant-guardism. As a single instance of circular: By and large, people have limited perceptions
this I would cite Bridget Riley's statement in the Art and values; they tend to deal with those things that fit
News: "'The Responsive Eye' was a serious exhibition, these perceptions and values; newspapers and magazines
but its qualities were obscured by an explosion of com- want to make money and print things appropriate for
mercialism, bandwagoning, and hysterical sensationalism. people; by and large, people have limited perceptions
Understandably, this alienated a section of the art world. and values . . . etc. It seems to me that educators have a
Most people were so busy taking sides, and arguing about particular and urgent responsibility for helping to estab-
what had or had not happened, that they could no lish values . .. in art and in human affairs. It would seem
to me that each of us needs to start where he can toward
longer see what was actually on the wall. Virtually no-
body in the whole of New York was capable of the state breaking the circularity and mounting controls of kitsch
of receptive participation which is essential to the experi- culture. For the artist, critic, and teacher of art, there is
ence of looking at pictures. Misunderstandings and mis- an obvious starting point for "breaking out" of the trap-
taken assumptions took the place of considered and in- by energetic attention to the real business of art and
formed judgment."6 ideas.

8) From my point of view, there is far too much em-

phasis upon an "art establishment" (as there is power 7Harold Rosenberg, "The Art Establishment," Esquire,
centered in groups that control our journals). In today's January, 1965, p. 43-46, 114. This article is accompanied
art world there are groupings of persons in cliques that by a large diagram prepared by the staff of Esquire that
can "make or break" artists in terms of where and when indicates such points as: Centers of Power, Good Places
their work can be seen and sold. These cliques consist of to Appear, Bad Places to Appear, Patrons, etc.
dealers, museum personnel, artists, critics, and yes, a few 8Daniel J. Boorstin, The Image, New York: Atheneum,
university professors. As Harold Rosenberg described it: 1962, p. 255.
"The center of this shifting world is New York: it is full * From paper presented at the Midwest College Art
Conference, University of Kentucky, October 16, 1965,
See Clement Greenberg, "How Art Writing Earns Its
following presentation by Miss Dore Ashton, Art Critic.
Bad Name," Encounter, December, 1962, p. 67-71.
MR. HAUSMAN is Director of the School of Art at the
Bridget Riley, "Perception Is the Medium," Art News, Ohio State University. a
October, 1965, p. 32-33, 66.

ART JOURNAL XXVI 1 20

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