BERNECIA BROADBELT
WHAT IS ART?


What is Art? This phenomena art can be defined in many ways, some define it as a portrait,
music, sketches, architecture, collages,photography and the list could go on. However what is the true
meaning of art? We can sit, we can ponder, we can conduct researches even turn to a dictionary for the "politically correct definition" but can a book or any number of research really tell us what art is? I say no according to an art critic Jerry Saltz "Art is a way of thinking a way of knowing ourself." Therefore you define what art is, how it makes you feel what is convicted in you by the piece,  art expresses you. Hence, I agree with Jerry Saltz on what he says about art and art criticism.
Criticism can be defined as one of the most negative things in society. Why? because people never take time out to truly understand this term. According the oxford dictionary "criticism is the practice of judging the the merits and faults of something or someone in an intelligible/articulate manner." Everyday we engage in some form of criticism whether its about fashion, hairstyle, language, etc. we always critique. So why is something that we engage in on a daily basis deemed as negative? Persons are afraid to be told the truth about their shortcomings, critiques are not only tools of destruction but correction. Criticism allows us to improve on our faults not only in the perspective of art but also our day to day living.
Like many terminologies one can be described as a radical and the other as a norm. Jerry Saltz considers a true art critic as a "radical", he feels that is a talent and compares seeing art to having an ear for music, it is developed but was placed in you from birth. Can a true critic use his ability to bring down a piece without stating its pros. Absolutely "there is nothing wrong with criticizing weak work but one must state the flaws.Obviously, critics can't just hysterically love or hate things, or assert that certain types of art or media are inherently bad (e.g., no one has actually believed that painting is dead since the Nixon administration, yet writers regularly beat this dead horse). Critics must connect their opinions to a larger set of circumstances; present cogent arguments; show how work does or doesn't seem relevant, is or isn't derivative; explain why an artist is or isn't growing. As with Melville's ideas about art, criticism should have: "Humility—yet pride and scorn/Instinct and study; love and hate/Audacity and reverence." Good criticism should be vulnerable, chancy, candid, and nervy. It should give permission, have attitude, maybe a touch of rebellion, never be sanctimonious or dull, and be written in a distinctive, readable way. Good critics should be willing to go on intuition and be unafraid to write from parts of themselves they don't really know they have."
Although art criticism is important it is considered as a dieing field, why? because art critics have lost their drive, they have chosen to conform to language that appeases the "astute" society, they have lost there flavor and oomph. They describe and give praises to horror the modern deem as art, nothing is wrong with modernization but have they forgotten the contemporary pieces that forged the structure for "art?" Give praise where praise is due, they encourage the emergence of modernity and neglect great pieces such as those done by Burchfield. One reason more young artists aren't familiar with this great American may have to do with Burchfield being yet another painter who is left out of the Museum of Modern Art's narrow-minded, mad march through modernism. Although he had three retrospectives at the Whitney, one at MOMA (way back in 1930), and one at the Met, Burchfield continues to be an odd man out of modern-art history.
Art is apart of us it is who we are it is apart of our history, culture, traditions even our day to day living. As we grow and evolve we must never neglect our roots. As much as modern art is apart of who we are contemporary also is apart of us. Art critics help to remind us of the good and even great art pieces. They give us perspectives, art criticism and art are equally important.

Name of Artist: Alex Grey
Title of work: "The Visionary origins of Language"
Year completed: 1998