Messin' With Critics

The Austin American-Statesman hosts a poll asking readers to identify the best art gallery in town. Readers give the top nod to Art on 5th, an art outlet that, while hip, sells primarily by consignment and doesn't exactly exhibit shows from the bleeding edge of contemporary art. In response, Jeanne Claire van Ryzin, the paper's arts critic, takes to the blog ("Seeing Things") to complain (in the grand tradition of critics) about the wisdom of crowds—and slams the paper for running the survey.

Someone at the Statesman took notice and by all appearances wasn't pleased—the post's been scrubbed from the blog. (Hat tip: Eric Zimmerman.) Deleting published articles is messin' with critics at its worst. The Statesman ought to clarify whether that's what's happened.