As a warm-up, my friend observed:

This is not a critique itself, but my thoughts on critiquing. I'd probably edit it a hundred times before I send it, but considering the amount of stuff that is accumulating on my "to do" list, I am going to send it out as is....


One of the few gems that I learned during my time in college was how (and how not to) to critique a piece of art. While it may be difficult to create a masterpiece, it takes no skill whatsoever to have some sort of a reaction to the art. Expressing that reaction, however, is an art in itself.

“That was… nice”

NICE - When someone simply says a piece of art is ‘nice’, they’re actually saying “I am too much of a coward to give you my honest opinion”, “this thing is beneath my attention, so I’m not going to waste energy thinking about it.”, or “I lack the intelligence to comment.” Having weathered enough ‘nices’ to last a long, mediocre life; I now consider the word as offensive, if not more offensive than, other more direct and blunt four-letter words.

“That’s good… uhhh… I liked it! A lot!”

GOOD/BAD – When someone says that something is good or bad or that they like or dislike a piece of art, it means that they do indeed have a reaction to the piece, but without much more detail to go on, they’re not doing the artist a favor by being obtuse or timid. If you like it, then express WHY you like it or what parts you liked. If you dislike it, then express WHY you don’t like it or what parts you didn’t like. It is an opinion, not an SAT test or the testimony in a murder trial. The most important thing is that you express the “whys” behind your reaction.

ARTIST OBLIGATIONS - On the flip-side, the person whose work is being critiqued is obliged to listen and digest what is being said to them without blowing the critique off or jumping immediately to the defense. While it might be awesome to have praise heaped upon their works, without honest feedback from others, how is an artist supposed to learn from their mistakes? Recognize their strengths? Downplay their weaknesses? Improve their overall technique? It may be extremely difficult for the artist to hear that they failed in their efforts, but a bit of good insight can help make the artist better in the long run. The critic’s opinions might be spot-on or totally baseless, but ultimately, it is up to the artist to weigh what has been said and learn from it.

MUTUAL RESPECT - That being said, an honest critique, no matter how harsh, is an excuse to be intentionally rude or disrespectful to the artist. Respect implies restraint. To trash someone else’s work for the express purpose of denigrating them is an arrogant act that undermines the integrity of the review and the reviewer. It may be “entertaining” to watch Simon Cowell tear an obviously poor audition apart on shows like American Idol, but aside from some of the genuinely positive things that come from his mouth, his caustic critiques are meant to separate that wheat from the chaff – to forcibly mass-expel hundreds (if not thousands) who do not meet his show’s high standards. More often than not, potential contestants refuse to hear the word “no”, a few have to be forcibly ejected from the building. It makes for “great cringe-worthy TV”, but does absolutely nothing for the artistic dreams of those who were rejected, nor is it respectful.

In a nutshell, that’s how I feel and the basis for what I expect critiquing and being critiqued.

Overall, I thought the critique of critiquing was "interesting," another word I'm sure is quite disliked and useless without elaboration. But, for me, it tended to be more insightful about the attitude of the author than lighting a pathway for future constructive criticism.

NICE: I thought this was extremely accurate and the frustration clearly stated. I, too, dislike the use, or uselessness, of this word.
GOOD/BAD: I thought this part was "good," with a strong conclusion which I embrace.
ARTIST OBLIGATIONS: For constructive criticism to take place, it requires the artist to step outside his or her work to listen and absorb before drawing conclusions on the critique. Whether "spot-on" or "baseless," this is the most useful critique, if the receiver's ears and mind are open. It's why broadcast people do airchecks and why writers cannot easily proof their own copy.
MUTUAL RESPECT — I'm unclear about where this term comes from; perhaps it is used by artists, but it was not fully explained so I could understand how the term is used and how it inspired such extreme frustration. We live in disrespectful times and, I understand — artists are sensitive. So, what else?

CONCLUSION: In general, I felt these definitions were born from frustration as to how little communication takes place in the real world, and the colors were mostly of a darker palette which expressed little hope. To me, critiques and constructive opinions are rather like taking a batch of photos. Ten percent are keepers.

I think that's a good fit, Dan. I doubt the author would argue against it---though the essay does open the idea of
what tools might be useful for overcoming that attitude. So maybe it's the hope for that ten percent. I do agree the artist has to be ready to engage with the criticism---to seek what's best for the work, without capitulating its intent, but also, as free of ego as possible. I think he meant to re-work that "mutual respect" definition into something more clear, had he the time, judging from his follow-up comments. I almost took it down in deference to that.

Artists of any stripe have to avoid bitterness; if they are genuinely bringing something unique to the table, they may have a difficult time finding an audience who appreciates the nuances they discovered in the work. (That's not to say that bitterness, itself, can't be a rich theme, but it needs some context, even contrast, to expand into a truthful picture. I'd say more but this sandwich is calling.)

The time and sacrifice that goes into a work relies, in the end, upon the satisfaction of the artist; one can not truly expect more, but sometimes there's a bright moment where you know you've communicated. I think the artist has to have faith people are taking away their own unique interaction, which creates a new piece of art, free, somewhat, of the artist's intentions, or control. That, to me, is the exciting place where chances taken pay off---or not!

"Enough nices to last a long, mediocre life." Nice turn of phrase there.
















Oh...sorry.