Reflections on Art Criticism Through Gardening and Routine

The writer compares gardening, furniture assembly, and art criticism, underscoring the anxiety and tendency to procrastinate that often accompany writing. John McPhee's 2017 essay collection, Draft No. 4, is referenced for its organized approach and instances of panic. A quote from E.M. Forster about understanding thoughts through expression highlights the ambiguity present in criticism. Creative individuals like Haruki Murakami, Lucien Freud, David Lynch, and Patricia Highsmith are noted for their routines, including Murakami's daily runs and others' habitual meals. In 2017, Gary Shtyngart and Jia Tolentino penned essays for the New Yorker discussing watches and skincare as coping strategies after the Trump election. The author, who taught a critical writing course recently, reflects on expressing opinions about art. Criticism is portrayed as a craft intertwined with existential worries, including fears of AI taking over and becoming obsolete. The piece concludes by likening criticism to gardening, serving as a method to impose order and alleviate tension.