Merlin the Wizard critiques contemporary art criticism, from Tracey Emin reviews to zombie abstraction
In a December 2014 interview with ArtReview, Merlin the Wizard critiques Jonathan Jones's review of Tracey Emin's exhibition in The Guardian, arguing that it presents personal views as if they were objective facts. He compares this approach to the more critical works of Griselda Pollock's 1984 publication 'Differencing the Canon' and Julia Kristeva's 1980 text 'Powers of Horror'. Merlin also references Sean Landers's early 1990s pieces, including '[sic]', and discusses T.J. Clark's 1999 book 'Farewell to an Idea', focusing on his essay about Abstract Expressionism. The dialogue touches on market influences, particularly 'zombie abstraction' by Oscar Murillo, and emphasizes the limited influence of critics against art-market speculators, revealing how contradictions in art writings can convey truth.
Key facts
- Interview published in December 2014 issue of ArtReview
- Critiques Jonathan Jones's Guardian review of Tracey Emin exhibition
- References Griselda Pollock's 1984 book 'Differencing the Canon'
- Discusses Julia Kristeva's 1980 book 'Powers of Horror'
- Mentions Sean Landers's early 1990s novel '[sic]'
- Analyzes T.J. Clark's 1999 book 'Farewell to an Idea'
- Examines Cézanne's letters to Émile Bernard and his son
- Discusses 'zombie abstraction' works by Oscar Murillo and Wade Guyton
Entities
Artists
- Merlin the Wizard
- Tracey Emin
- Sean Landers
- Griselda Pollock
- Julia Kristeva
- T.J. Clark
- Cézanne
- Émile Bernard
- Oscar Murillo
- Wade Guyton
- On Kawara
- Rembrandt
- Dürer
- Tiepolo
- Manet
- Rimbaud
- Walter Benjamin
- Karl Marx
- Matthew Collings
Institutions
- ArtReview
- The Guardian
- White Cube
Locations
- Paris
- France