In the ongoing case of People v. Blake Gopnik, sure, I've historically sided with the critic. Not merely because I also think Art-O-Matic is a worthless fair, but because the arguments cited by his prosecutors are really just about shutting him up. There's clearly a big crowd in town in favor of going forward with Art-O-Matic—but it's far from criminal if others think it's simply not worth the time (or tax dollars). There's room in this town for a contrary opinion, even one that runs counter to the notion that nine hundred artists crammed willy-nilly into a cavern makes for a good art exhibition.
Nevertheless—one line from Gopnik's latest is pretty poor:
There are also unknowns: Kathryn Cornelius, a barely emerging local artist, presents a series of stills from a video in which she's shown vacuuming a beach—a housewife become Sisyphus.If there's a substantive point undergirding that comment, it's not one that can be made in the context of a 150-word review. Barely emerging? "Barely emering" hints at (and demands) more editorial comment than Gopnik is willing to give. I say this as an admirer of Cornelius's work but also as a proponent of criticism: make the case, if you're willing to put it out there. Posted by Kriston at November 7, 2005 5:38 PM
Gopnik is a part-time prick who enjoys getting a rise out of DC by in this case, attacking one of its new superstars. While its childish of him to do so, he may be making a point that becoming a superstar in DC wont get you far in the art world at large. As ArtNews stated in its profile of this city a few years ago, DC is making splashes in a small pond. In other words, the brilliant 14th street corridor wouldn't be more than a cranny in Chelsea.
Posted by: fishbowl at November 8, 2005 9:44 AMI agree Fishbowl but let's be seasonal. The brilliant corridor would be more appropriately in NYC, a small string of x-mas lights while other NYC galleries would be the wonder-bulbs holiday seasons are made of.
I think Sir Gopnik, the self-romanticizing critic that he is, when he sees DC art scenesters sitting too high on their horse, comes full charge at them in joust while deftly spooning an NGA gelatto.
Posted by: d-g-p at November 8, 2005 10:24 AMGelato, friend.
Posted by: Kriston at November 10, 2005 10:51 AMnever mind the t's its all about the tastes
Posted by: d-g-p at November 10, 2005 5:49 PMFair enough.
Posted by: Kriston at November 11, 2005 11:43 AMGopnik's little blurb seem pretty innocuous, except for the ridiculously condescending comment about the artist being "barely emerging". Is he dismissing her work because of her lack of notoriety? Now that's serious critical writing...
Posted by: David at November 14, 2005 1:55 PMGopnik's little blurb seems pretty innocuous, except for the ridiculously condescending comment about the artist being "barely emerging". Is he dismissing her work because of her lack of notoriety? Now that's serious critical writing...
Posted by: David at November 14, 2005 1:56 PM