Critique of Artworld's Overreliance on Language and Interpretation
An art critic reflects on the artworld's tendency to filter artistic experience through language, arguing that this practice diminishes direct engagement with artworks. The author recounts a personal experience of creating art without explanation, contrasting it with art school practices where artworks were pre-explained in notebooks. A specific incident in a Berlin gallery is described, where art students focused on handouts and phone photography rather than looking at the exhibition. The critique traces this phenomenon to first-wave Conceptualism, which emphasized intellectual grasp of art. Artist Trisha Donnelly's resistance to gallery labels is mentioned as an example of preserving speechless sanctity. The author suggests that avoiding interpretive materials can create richer experiences, comparing it to listening to unfamiliar music without prior knowledge. The piece advocates for allowing art to exist without immediate explanation, maintaining that visual art can offer preverbal, direct engagement when not mediated by language.
Key facts
- The author is an art critic who critiques the artworld's reliance on language
- A personal anecdote describes creating art without explanation after decades
- Art students in a Berlin gallery focused on handouts and phones instead of the art
- First-wave Conceptualism is cited as influencing the need for art explanations
- Artist Trisha Donnelly resisted gallery labels for her work
- Some critics avoid reading press materials before viewing exhibitions
- A show ended with an upside-down A4 sheet to delay textual information
- The author compares unmediated art experience to listening to unfamiliar music
Entities
Artists
- Trisha Donnelly
Institutions
- ArtReview
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany