Post-Art Clarity

Art criticism is fixated on what is tangibly in the room. The ‘what’, the ‘where’, the ‘who’, and (if you’re lucky) the ‘why’. Whereas many editors don’t want to read anything in the first person, without it, the reader and the viewer assumes some kind of objectivity. Yes, I can describe the colours and sounds and lighting choices, but without placing myself in my writing, the sensations, the emotions, and the impact is lost. If I don’t feel anything about the work, how can I expect my reader to feel anything? Contrary to this, contemporary art also brings the expectation of dealing with, well, contemporary social issues. This is rarely executed properly, either through artists toeing the line, or the message being impactful but the sterile, institutional environment of the gallery dulling its shine. We say we’ve been moved, but do our preconceived ideas literally move and shift? Or do we feel (over)stimulated for a while, perhaps long enough to invest in the artist or gallery, then pr...