As a critic I’ve come to be constantly
aware of this. We critics have the power to make a performer feel like a king
or a queen for a little while, but despite some popular notions we have very
little ability to make or break an artist’s career. Among the many factors that
can contribute to a successful or unsuccessful run, a good or bad review is
probably the least important, but it can hugely impact an artists’ feelings.
I first became an art critic some 30-something
years ago because I loved visual art. I loved making art and talking about art.
I had spent most of my life as a painter and a good number of years as a
teacher, both in college and in public schools, so I thought I knew a thing or
two about visual art. I wanted to be able to promote the good artists who
showed their work in area galleries, and I—perhaps somewhat arrogantly—wanted
to teach people how to judge art for themselves. I had heard people who
probably should have taken an art appreciation course at some point in their
lives praise art that was mediocre at best and pure crap at worse, and I
thought maybe I could show them the error of their ways. I had seen great art
by unknown artists, and I hoped to be able to get people to flock to their
shows.
I first became a theater critic because
I needed the work and it fell into my lap. I knew very little about theater at
the time, and was astounded that I was offered the job. Now, after more than
700 plays in the past 13 or so years (I can’t remember exactly when I started),
I have begun to think I know a little bit about theater.
My primary motive for writing reviews
remains my love of the arts. Plus, I still need the job. But the more I do this
job, the more I am aware of how my words of praise or criticism might affect
the artists I write about. I love it when I can praise a show. I love it when
people tell me they went to see an art exhibition or a play because of my
review and that they loved it. I also feel a responsibility to let people know
when I don’t think a play is worth the ticket price. Theater tickets can be
pretty damn expensive. As for the actors, the painters, the writers, I am so
happy to be able to praise them in print. If I feel I have to criticize them, I
hope I can do it in the spirit of a teacher saying this is why this particular
performance didn’t work, and this is how you might be able to make it better
next time.
And like the artists whose work I write
about, I like to hear when I’m doing it right; and though I might cringe at the
thought, I also want to hear when I do it wrong. So please feel free to comment on anything I post on this blog.
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