Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Source/Date: 2003
(NAEP) revealed that eighth-grade students were unable to make connections between meaning
and form, implying that art educators were basing their curriculums on formalism. The chapter
recounts the rise of analytical aesthetic and the importance of art education as a means of
teaching critique of visual culture. Freedman concludes that form and meaning are inherently
bound, as are visual culture and fine art, and that an aesthetic education cannot be taught without
Freedman argues that art education and aesthetics are valuable, in part, because they
teach students how to critique both art and the world around them. However, the symbiotic
relationship between meaning and form has not always been an accepted concept. Freedman
reasons that the industrialization of the early 20th century inspired a heavy emphasis on science,
which in provided a natural gateway for the rise of formalism. Freedman says formalism,
“Appears only to facilitate an analysis of what is contained within a work of art, it has actually
conditioned students to approach visual culture as a series of objects isolated from larger social
meanings” (Freedman, 2003, p. 27). Thus, reduction of artworks into independent elements
reduces art to its formal qualities and acts under the assumption that, “the artifacts of any culture
can appropriately be taught as if they were outside the context of time and place” (Freedman,
2003, p. 27). In this way, while trying to reduce art to a formulaic field, formalism neglects the
basic tenants of both fine art and the social issues that it seeks to address. Artists who rejected
formalism opted for alternative modes of representation, such as symbolism, action painting or
expressionism.
modernist theories were responses to the societies in which the philosophers lived in. For
example, during the Industrial Revolution, “metaphysical thinking was considered distinct from
scientific method and aesthetic experience was conceptualized as separate from ethical
judgement” (Freedman, 2003, p. 35). Others argued that formalism emerged as a reaction to the
Freedman closes the chapter by citing Dewian philosophy, affirming that fine art is not
something that can be fragmented into elements and principles to be examined as disparate
entities. In fact, fine art is all encompassing, comprised not only of material, form and process,
but also the time and space in which the art object exists, among other variables. In short, “Art is
not only about the isolated effects of formal qualities,” but they, “involve a social relationship
teaching experience
Freedman’s chapter investigates the complex relationship between art and society, which
is a conversation that becomes increasingly relevant the nearer we are to the end of our
parents and in our own studio practice in order to uphold the validity of and necessity for our
field. Freedman’s description of formalism has undertones of Karen Barad’s theory of Agential
Realism, in that formal qualities cannot exist on their own without interaction to other properties
or materials.
Matter is always entangled with other forces, and an object cannot possess characteristics
without consideration for the objects’ relationships to other variables. For example, Basquiat’s
Irony of a Negro Policeman cannot simply be assessed for its mark making and texture. The
meaning of the artwork is not solely communicated through the formal qualities of the painting,
but through the personal history of the artist, race relations present throughout the country, and
Both Agential Realism and Dewian philosophy suggest that each material, process, and
idea have its own separate connotations, but art is the binding agent that connects all elements as
one. Art educators can use these theories as a means of demonstrating to students the
References
aesthetics and the social life of art. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Lather, P. (2018, January 9). Agential Realism – New Materialism. Retrieved from
http://edu.au.dk/en/research/research-themes/all-themes/agential-realism-new-
materialism/
FACILITATION SHEET Gretchen Schreiber
Source/Date: 2003
By demonstrating critical analysis of art history and emphasis on the regular reevaluation
of the measure of quality, Freedman provides solutions for guiding students through the
complexities of art, visual culture, the societies that they live in. Through this investigation, she
concludes that contemporary art education should address the past, but should also include the
present as a means of contextualizing and assessing the making and meaning of art.
that, “history is not the past; it is the reconstruction of the past. Because the past is made up of
people and events to which we no longer have direct access, history involves interpretations of
remnants of those events and the objects created by those people” (Freedman, 2003, p. 44). With
that said, since past is not an active agent, the retelling of it is subjective to its raconteur.
Freedman posits that historicism operates under the assumption that history is linear,
meaning one event or movement occurs subsequent to or as a reaction to another. The reality,
however, is that histories are much messier, and that linear retellings are, “problematic because
the representation carries with it an assumption that the past is...atomistic, made up of actions
and reactions, and as if peoples and ideas are off the timeline and do not exist” (Freedman, 2003,
p. 48). Thus, in order to honor the complexities of the human experience, educators must be
cognizant of the subjectivity or retelling and learn to teach in multiple ways and through multiple
lenses. Art educators must also acknowledge that students enter the classroom with distinct
imagic stores, or collections of images and memories that are specific to them.
The imagic store unavoidably affects the way in which each person contextualizes, and
consequently judges art and visual culture. This consequently complicates the critique of quality,
as both “good” and “bad” are subjective. Freedman explains, “This definition of quality does not
help us in determining quality in and on the borders of contemporary fine art and popular culture,
which is one important reason why little new visual culture is addressed in classrooms”
(Freedman, 2003, p. 53). Rather than reject the importance of the measure of quality, Freedman
suggests that added complexities may actually elevate the art experience by creating a richer
learning experience. She says, “To contextualize learning is to help students understand that
many conditions influence judgements of goodness and that those judgements are made based on
the relationship to these conditions.” She continues that this is a, “higher level of thinking than
students achieve when instructed in only studio techniques and processes (Freedman, 2003, p.
54)
teaching experience
Freedman introduces the chapter by citing Preziosi’s opinion of the role of a social
historian as compared to an art historian. His definition minces words, pigeonholing each
academic into a role that is limited to her disciplines and is less complex than reality. In Courtnie
Wolfgang’s article in Visual Arts Research titled Productive Uncertainties: Deleuze|Guattari,
Like Freedman, Wolfgang emphasizes the impact of the past on the present, stating,
“Being is static, while becoming represents a state of constant proceeding. It is in the becoming
that we inhabit in-between spaces, the imperceptible” (Wolfgang, 2013, p. 53). While Freedman
draws attention to the existence of the in-between space, Wolfgang takes it a step further and
suggests that it is the in-between in which we should seek to live. She channels the Deleuzian
philosophy of locating the outer edge of acceptability and setting up shop. Wolfgang removes the
static nature of the past and allows it agency, encouraging its interaction with the present.
The goal of an art educator should be to recognize the uniqueness of each student’s
imagic store and teach them to harness their own inertia in order to find the in-between. For,
(Wolfgang, 2013, p. 54). Art is cross-disciplinary in its history, content and method, and students
should explore their artistic identity through experimentation in all directions. For naming of a
References
aesthetics and the social life of art. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
doi:10.5406/visuartsrese.39.1.0052
FACILITATION SHEET Gretchen Schreiber
Source/Date: 2003
What humans see is mediated through psychobiological processes paired with the
expectations and prior knowledge of what is being seen. Post-formal research suggests that
humans do not inherently learn or develop at the same rate, but that our learning is activated by
interest. Consequently, educators must develop instructional methods that encourage critical
Emotion and cognition have a symbiotic relationship, but prior to the onset of
behaviorism western education systems dealt with these processes independently as if they were
unrelated to each other. Behaviorism suggests that behavior is influenced by stimuli and
personal history. In accordance, Freedman argues that learning and development are not fixed
variables that increase in concurrence with age. Rather, learning is an active agent that is
influenced by a multitude of variables, most significant of which are context and prior
knowledge. In other words, is the content being taught interesting to the learner based on her
personal history and is she able to draw associations between what is being taught and her bank
of prior knowledge?
Freedman cites the processing of visual culture as a type of learning that is dependent on
sociocultural context and prior knowledge. She says, “Visual culture engages us on multiple
levels with our environment. Although psychobiological processes that become engaged when
we see visual culture may seem mechanistic, we come to know and use our knowledge to engage
with our environment in different, individual ways and in ways influenced by social groups”
(Freedman, 2003, p. 64). Similarly, if a student does not have prior knowledge to draw on, they
will be less engaged in what is being taught. Freedman explains, “When viewers do not have a
critical understanding of visual culture, looking at [it] can seem a waste of time because they
This is important to consider in the art classroom because, as Freedman points out, the art
object does not exist independently. The action of the viewer interacting with the art object is
when the art object becomes actualized. Freedman says, “An expressive object, regardless of the
meaning of the production for the artist, does not have inherent meaning; the experience of an
audience with visual culture makes it meaningful” (Freedman, 2003, p. 69) Similarly, students
do not exist independently as skilled or unskilled, but are an amalgamation of their prior
Freedman insists that art education curriculum should mirror the complexities of its
audience and rejects the polarizing approach to curriculum that separates emotion and cognition.
She says, “Although the purposes of public school art education have sociocultural roots,
children have been represented in curriculum as though they are without attributes of culture”
(Freedman, 2003, p. 75). Thus, art educators should acknowledge the interactive nature of
learning and develop robust curriculums that encourage critical analysis and compound
knowledge.
teaching experiences
Freedman’s anecdote about the non-art students who were displaying physical signs of
fear upon entering a museum resonated with me because of its candor. Having only “talked
shop” with other artists and intellectuals for the past few months, I have forgotten how daunting
it can feel to look at a canvas painted by someone I am not familiar with. Moreover, if I am to
take Freedman’s advice and create a dynamic curriculum that introduces fresh content, I am
undoubtedly going to introduce concepts and artists whom my students are unacquainted with.
That being said, introducing students to new artists and art forms serve as a major crossroads. If
they are unable to process the material being presented to them, students may be hesitant to
continue exploring art. On the other hand, if I am able to help build confidence within my
students and equip them with ways of looking at and interpreting art, they will be able to use
those tools forever, both in and out of the classroom. The process of dissecting a painting into
layers of prior knowledge, associations and judgements is a method that can be applied to any
discipline and will train students how to critically interpret the world around them.
References
De Freitas, E. (2017). Karen Barad’s Quantum Ontology and Posthuman Ethics: Rethinking the
doi:10.1177/1077800417725359
Freedman, K. (2003). Art and Cognition. In Teaching visual culture: Curriculum, aesthetics and
the social life of art (pp. 64-85). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
FACILITATION SHEET Gretchen Schreiber
Source/Date: 2003
Fine art is a form of visual culture and as such it is a complex, active agent which should
be contextualized, analyzed and interpreted. Visual culture is part of a feedback loop which
cycles from production to the viewer, to the viewer’s emotional or cognitive response, and back
to production of new forms of visual culture based on the perceived responses to original output.
That being said, art educators should prepare students to think critically about both art and visual
culture so as be able to aware of and actively engage in the world around them.
Students are often introduced to the concept of interpretation by being shown popular
images fine art and being taught to break down the images in search of visual clues that will help
the viewer determine the artwork’s intended meaning. However, whether or not we were aware
of it, starting from an early age we have all been impacted by messages and signifiers
communicated to us images in the world around us. Although we may have thought we learned
the skills of interpretation by being exposed to art, it more likely that we were influenced by
advertisements before ever entering a museum. Freedman (2003) explains, “Ads also teach
people how to ‘read’ ads: They contain didactic cues that educate viewers to interpret imagery in
a particular manner that is quickly recognized, deeply associative, and easily internalized.” She
goes on to say, “Advertisements illustrate the process of establishing meaning for audiences in
relation to the interpretation of signs. The arbitrary sets of written and pictorial signifiers carry
As Freedman suggests, even if we are not aware of their power, advertisements and
visual culture interact with our personal histories and belief systems and are highly suggestive.
That being said, art curriculums should be designed in an extremely comprehensive way. For
example, art history should address the socioeconomic, cultural, and personal backgrounds of the
artists being talked about. It should also give context to the artwork by talking about the time
period and place in which it was made, and what was happening in terms of political, religious or
social movements at that time that might impact the meaning of the work. Curriculums should
include analytical and interpretive skills, materiality and technical associations, visual culture
and art history in tandem with technical skills. Freedman says, “The skills required to produce,
analyze, and assess this expanding realm of visual culture are complex, crossing many types of
old boundaries, and indicate that a broadening of curriculum is essential...Curriculum must now
address objects that are made, seen, and judged in terms of an array of sociocultural positions,
curriculum that equips students with tools to interpret and contextualize the world around them.
Visual culture exists on a feedback loop that we are all a part of, despite whether or not we
The group is impacted by the images that they perceive and interpret, causing them to alter their
choices, identities, or belief systems, visual culture reacts to the change. As Freedman explains
“The impact of imagery has a wide range of sociopolitical and economic issues which, in turn,
influence students’ identities, notions of citizenship, beliefs about democracy, and so on.
Consider the concept of ‘image’ not only in terms of its literal visual meaning, but also in its
surface is not just surface; it is deep with context and meaning” (Freedman, 2003, p. 97).
teaching experience
My favorite elementary school teacher, Mrs. Salerno, had a tray full of worksheets that
we could work on whenever we finished an activity early. Once we finished 10, we could trade
in our stamp sheet for a piece of candy, which really wasn’t necessary because the worksheets
were fun to do as it was. Most of the worksheets were word searches or crossword puzzles, but
my favorite was a full sheet of company logos like McDonald’s and Jiffy Lube and we had to
come up with the name of the company that matched the logo. I didn’t know it at the time, but
even in 5th grade I was already a participant in the visual culture feedback loop. But more than
During my clinical hours at St. Mary, I have seen my own students incorporate visual
culture into their artwork. During my stained-glass project that I introduced during fall semester,
one student depicted the cartoon Peppa Pig on his stained glass window. I saw many references
to Fortnite, Facebook, Youtube stars and Snapchat while observing Ivy’s arpilleras project. I
even had a student in my 8th grade class reference the thin blue line in his sculptural adornment,
extremely thorough and well thought out, I noticed that some of the students pushed back when
faced with the challenge of talking about social issues, however they all expressed interest in
visual culture. That being said, in the future I think incorporating relevant visual culture into my
lesson plans and using that as a jumping off point to talk about important issues and skills would
References
Freedman, K. (2003). Art and Cognition. In Teaching visual culture: Curriculum, aesthetics and
the social life of art (pp. 64-85). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
FACILITATION SHEET Gretchen Schreiber
Source/Date: 2003
indirectly shape the learning scope of students. Art educators should take advantage of a post-
modern curriculum by tapping in to the cache of knowledge and associations that students store
from visual culture and personal experiences, and using these connections to establish a more
Art education is more than the instruction of technical skill because, simply put, it helps
teach us how to make informed decisions about the world around us. This includes but is not
limited to choices related to visual culture and socioeconomic, political and educational
decisions. International competition in the 1960s pushed art education towards a DBAE based
curriculum because it produced results that were more easily measured and could be compared to
the progress of other countries. However, the 1970s and 80s pushed away from DBAE, finding
value in higher level thinking. Freedman (2003) explains the transition saying, “Curriculum was
to aid student understanding of the conditions of democracy and the importance of cultural
disciplinary and reinforces the basic foundations of a contributing member of society: morality,
respect for differences, open-mindedness, and the ability to see from multiple perspectives.
Freedman expands on these ideas by saying, “The discussion of controversial issues by students
in an open intellectual climate is associated with higher levels of political interest, efficacy, and
knowledge. These conflicts can also help students to understand concepts such as justice through
With a higher importance being placed on art education, curriculum naturally became a
center of focus. Freedman contends that curriculum is fluid, dynamic and a process. It is
influenced by the beliefs and values of the educator who created it, and it should focus on issues
collage-like, “made up of multiple contributions, from various sources, with competing interests.
They involve a cut-and-pasted construction of the ideas of individuals and groups. These ideas
are selected and brought together, with care and a sense of unease to form a whole” (Freedman,
2003, p. 110). The process of responsive curriculum building should be made visible to the
student so that they “own” part of the curriculum and become vested in the learning process.
Freedman explains this benefit in saying, “Through curriculum inquiry, students’ construction of
knowledge can be enhanced as they work with teachers to take part in these processes”
(Freedman, 2003, p. 111). That is, students are removed from the banking process and
The communal classroom offers a richer learning experience because it encourages criticality,
questioning and valuable discussion. Art is not black and white in that there is not one correct
answer that the teacher is leading the class towards finding. Rather, art is a tangle of questions
that require critical inquiry to solve. Freedman says, “Art problems are authentic; they are some
of the few problems in school for which the teacher does not know the answer. They are
Creating a transparent curriculum is the most productive way of providing students with a
live example of connected teaching. However, as Freedman points out, “Curriculum is often
designed in ways that actually mystify and hide these qualities because considerations of art in
classrooms have often been intended to control, manage, and objectify, rather than reveal the
social, cultural, and personal interactions and influences of visual culture” (Freedman 2003, p.
2003). That being said, allowing students to access them man behind the curtain gives them
insight into the importance of what they are being taught and how it fits into other systems of
society.
teaching experience
Last night I was at book club with my girlfriends, two of whom are public school
teachers. The book we chose to read was One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey and
someone asked my friend Katie, an English teacher, whether this book was still being taught in
high school. She replied something along the lines of, “It’s in the AP curriculum, but...” I
stopped there and thought about her wording: The AP curriculum. My first reaction was a cringe
because her wording implied that the English teachers at her school all used the same
curriculums. Although this is probably true of most subjects and schools, this conversation
occurred just a few hours after I had read Freedman’s chapter, Curriculum as Process, so I was
especially sensitive to the conversation topic. What began as an irritation because of the lesser
work load of these teachers that I had never met, turned into an appreciation for the additional
Despite the public perception of art educators as arts and crafts coordinators, art
educators’ actual roles are far more profound. Art educators have the unique opportunity to, as
Freedom points out, to cross disciplines and tap into prior knowledge and personal experiences
of our students as a means of reaching a broader lesson. Additionally, the students that elect to
enroll in art classes are often open minded, or possible discontent with other classes that they
have been placed in. In this way, art educators are given a unique opportunity to not only create
inclusive, dynamic curriculums, but also amass and mobilize the energy brought to the table by
the students enrolled in the class. Thus, because students do not have strict expectations of what
they will learn in an art classes, art educators are able to infuse their own belief systems and
values into their curriculums and teach what they feel is most important and will create change.
This is not a burden of responsibility, but a welcomed blessing given to art educators alone.
References
Freedman, K. (2003). Art and Cognition. In Teaching visual culture: Curriculum, aesthetics and
the social life of art (pp. 64-85). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
FACILITATION SHEET Gretchen Schreiber
Source/Date: 2003
Visual technologies such as television, film, the Internet and video games have an
building. These technologies, however, also possess the power to seduce and deceive which
places a greater responsibility on art educators to teach students how to be critical observers.
Visual technologies enable us to easily make connections because they are capable of
making references to and mimicking many different sentiments and experiences within a single
platform. While this flexibility opens new doors for art educators it also complicates their role,
forcing a larger emphasis on criticality and analysis in the curriculum. Freedman (2003)
explains, “Technological imagery blurs the boundaries between truth and fiction by acting as
both” (Freedman, 2003, p. 129). With that said, art educators must teach students how to garner
Freedman points out that new technologies such as video games are not only visual
displays but can also be used as learning devices. This presents a similar challenge as the concept
of virtual reality because while discovering new tools for learning is exciting, it also changes the
terms under which knowledge is acquired. That is, “Such games promote the development of
many alternative answers to questions and various routes to establish a narrative. This is in
contrast to the way in which a book or traditional film is structured, but even the feature film
industry has begun to produce films that are less linear” (Freedman, 2003, p. 132). Therefore,
since visual technologies no longer follow a linear path, educators must be willing to adapt
While art educators are challenged with an added variable to their curriculums, new
technology allows for students to develop personal agency. Armed with the tools of critical
analysis, students are empowered to step outside of the one sided cycle of being marketed to, and
become active participants in their own decision making processes. Freedman explains,
“Students at every level of education have the capacity to take part in the production of visual
culture through their artistic uses of technology. Newer technologies are visual arts media in
their potential to enable the production of things never before seen. Often students at the high
school and higher education levels initiate their own uses of technology to make a range of visual
Computer technology can be both a static tool and part of an active system. Computers
says, “Students can test colors, move shapes around, animate objects, and recycle pictures
quickly and easily without making permanent changes to an original image” (Freedman, 2003, p.
138). Computers can also be interactive, “mak[ing] it easy for students to communicate with
each other from different locations. Through the use of home pages and E-mail, groups and
individuals can instantly communicate with other groups at long distance, enabling students to
work together who would otherwise have little opportunity for contact” (Freedman, 2003, p.
138).
Visual technologies vests its users with the power of unlimited information, but as
Freedman points out, “Students are now able to access all kinds of information through the
Internet, without any assurance of quality” (Freedman, 2003, p. 146). Without learning to safely
navigate the waters of visual technologies, students will be susceptible to hidden biases,
seductive advertising and blurred realities. That being said, art educators must cement
themselves in the navigation process and embolden students with skills of critical analysis.
teaching experience
Teaching Visual Culture was published 15 years ago and while references to Live Action
Role Play and Blair Witch Project are a little bit outdated, the sentiments of Freedman’s analysis
of visual technology are still relevant. However, in terms of my own practice, newer technology
takes on an additional challenge. I graduated with my BFA in metalsmithing 6 years ago and was
put out into the workforce with an array of antiquated skills such as chase and repoussé,
electroforming and forging tools from steel stock. When I began applying for jobs, however, not
only was I out of touch with what work was available within my field, but I also lacked many
employable skills. While I was trained as a traditional metalsmith, my program failed to keep up
with the technologies that the rest of the field had adapted to. I did not know how to stone set,
how to cast at an industrial level or 3D model. My skill set limited me to the qualifications of a
bench jeweler, which not only guaranteed my fixation below the poverty line but eliminated my
opportunity for creative outlet since I would not be able to work on my own designs.
I decided to come back to school to earn my teaching accreditations and possibly take
some metals classes, I did not anticipate being able to learn all of the techniques that I had lacked
before. However, in the past semester I have learned how to 2D design for laser cutting, 3D
model and print, and use the Rhino software for planning. What visual technologies mean for me
are both obstacles and opportunities. The visual technologies linked to my field have been the
root of self-consciousness and doubt of my own abilities. While I am nowhere near a master of
the technology, the freedom that learning basic digital modeling skills has brought me is truly
empowering. Three months of schooling has inspired new forms and mechanisms within my own
practice and has made me a much more valuable artist. I do not think technology is a
replacement for hand skills and traditional techniques, but having the option to use technology as
References
Freedman, K. (2003). Art and Cognition. In Teaching visual culture: Curriculum, aesthetics and
the social life of art (pp. 64-85). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
FACILITATION SHEET Gretchen Schreiber
Source/Date: 2003
Artmaking is a dynamic process that is impacted by variables such as social and cultural
shifts, innate ability and the experiences and histories its participants. The complex nature of
artmaking, then, deems standardized assessment methods unsuitable as a means of evaluating the
progress of art students.. Rather, art educators should use a variety of assessment methods and
adapt them based on the goals and needs of her specific class.
building, responsiveness, or politics acting independently from each other, but a complex
amalgamation of these parts. Freedman (2003) explains that the studio setting is a physical
manifestation of these moving parts, acting as, “The foundation of a learning community and a
socially interactive environment that involves individuals and groups in viewing, discussing,
analyzing, debating, and making art” (Freedman, 2003, p. 147). This collaborative setting
encourages imagination, creativity, risk taking, and critical analysis. However, the testing
counterproductive to the creative process as it limits the conditions by which art learning can be
tested.
educational discourse, that exemplifies some common beliefs about the structure, applicability,
and certainty of science” (Freedman, 2003, p. 148). While assessment based on scientific
Freedman suggests that assessment procedures applied to visual arts should, “include
students’ work, and students’ self-evaluations” (Freedman, 2003, p. 150). In other words,
assessment of art learning should include both formative and summative assessments.
such as portfolios, students can also develop insight and perspective through critique.
Critique is valuable because it fosters an environment where students can practice skills of
critical analysis, but it also tells the makers that their message is important and that they can
communicate critical messages through artmaking. Freedman suggests that students pair critique
with reflection, stating, “When students make artistic images and objects, they should articulate
related concepts and skills, state reasons for their decisions, and explain what they believe to be
Group, peer to pair, and individual critiques have proven to be so valuable that other
disciplines have adopted the model. Freedman explains that critiques “Have held opportunities
for assessing complex, higher-order types of learning to which conventional testing cannot
provide access, such as imagination, critical thinking, and problem solving” (Freedman, 2003, p.
157). The adaptation of art methods in non-art disciplines speaks to the increased importance on
social interaction to learning and acknowledges that learning can be achieved through many
different models.
teaching experience
Freedman introduces critique as a method of analysis and group learning, but critique is
not a method that comes easily to most students. It is important for art educators to lay a
foundation of what a critique is and isn’t, its goals and objectives, how it is facilitated and how to
participate. I have attended many critiques gone wrong, in many different capacities. I am
hopeful that these experiences will guide me towards conducting more successful critiques in my
own future classroom. For example, students often sniff out the weakest link and prey upon the
shortcomings of that student’s work. Conversely, I have been present in critiques where the artist
clearly did not put much effort into their artwork, but were able to fabricate a convincing
justification so that the other students in the class mirrored his faux enthusiasm.
In my metals critique this semester, my professor wrote a few phrases on the chalkboard
that have curbed the temptation to digress into unproductive directions. He wrote,
“Critiqueàcritical,” and explained that critique is used to analyze and evaluate a work of art.
The goal of a critique is to draw attention to successes and areas that can be improved, provide
suggestions of what improvements might be effective. They also catalyze group discussion and
help the artist unpack their concept, stimulating conversation surrounding the artist’s intended
Under “critique,” Professor Obermeier wrote, “No: this reminds me of, that’s cool, I like
it, it looks like.” Critiques reflective in nature, but the goal is to uncover new insight, not to
compliment aesthetic qualities or make visual connections, unless of course these are
constructive to the evolution of the message. Critiques are extremely valuable, but a constructive
critique is dependent on the accountability demanded of its participants, the preparedness and
motivation of its leader, and the willingness of the class work together to elevate each other’s
work.
References
Freedman, K. (2003). Art and Cognition. In Teaching visual culture: Curriculum, aesthetics and
the social life of art (pp. 64-85). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.