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60 WRD/MIN ART CRITIC
July 10 - 12, 2009
Exhibition on view through September 6, 2009
Art critic Lori Waxman guarantees brief, serious reviews to all artists on a first-come, first-served basis in a performance about art criticism.
Lori Waxman, 60 WRD/MIN ART CRITIC, 2009. Performance and installation. Arthouse at the Jones Center, Austin.
The short review is at once a challenge, an insult, a record, and a piece of advertising. Its purpose is debatable and quite different for the various parties involved: the writer gets a tear sheet, a couple of bucks, and some editorial gratification; the reader, in the best case scenario, gets a succinct, opinionated description of a body of work they probably did not see in person; and the artist gets published recognition and an entry for their bibliography. But think, for a moment, of the artist who has been reviewed carelessly, who has never been reviewed, who lives in a city where there is little local criticism. The ruling conundrum for emerging artists is that one needs a show to get a review, but one needs a review to get a show.
For three days at Arthouse, Chicago-based art critic Lori Waxman will receive artists in need of reviews. Reviews are scheduled and written in twenty-minute increments between the announced hours only (Friday, July 10, 2:00 – 7:00 pm; Saturday, July 11, 2009, noon – 5:00 pm; Sunday, July 12,2009, 1:00 – 5:00 pm). Reviews are signed, published, and ready for pick-up within the time frame of the performance. Artist, artwork, critic, and review all exist in the same space simultaneously. The reviews will remain on view at Arthouse through September 6, 2009.
Lori Waxman, 60 WRD/MIN ART CRITIC completed reviews, 2009. Arthouse at the Jones Center, Austin.
Reviews are free of charge but not guaranteed to contain positive responses to the work submitted. What is guaranteed is a democratic event: no artist—regardless of fame and accomplishment—is given preferential treatment. This might seem at odds with today’s art business. By reducing the complex relationship between critic and artist to this almost clerical exchange, Waxman reveals a bigger story about viewing, thinking about and making art. By demystifying the art review process “on stage,” Waxman holds up the commodity of review for review itself, and the results of this experiment are both profound and whimsical. In a time when newspaper and magazine art columns are quickly disappearing, the 60 wrd/min art critic is a clever and effective way to get a community talking about its own art.
Austin is among ten U.S. cities purposefully included in the list of destinations for the 60 wrd/min art critic. Waxman focused her project on vibrant regional arts communities whose artists rarely have opportunities to receive nationally published art reviews. In addition to being posted publicly on-site at Arthouse, a few completed reviews will also be published in the Austin American-Statesman and all reviews will be available on Austin360.com.
Due to overwhelming response, all appointments have been scheduled as of June 28. A limited number of first-come, first-serve walk-in appointments will be availalbe during the performance.
The 60 wrd/min art critic is a project of the Creative Capital | Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant Program.
Additional exhibition support provided by
About the Artist
Lori Waxman is a Chicago-based critic and art historian who has published articles and reviews in art journals and has written many catalogue essays. Waxman's writings have been published in The Chicago Tribune, Artforum, Artforum.com, Modern Painters, Gastronomica, Parkett, Tema Celeste, as well as the defunct Parachute, New Art Examiner, and FGA.
Receptionist for the Austin presentation is Elizabeth Spheeris.
For more information about Lori Waxman and the 60 wrd/min art critic visit 60wrdmin.org