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A review by open_ears_now
The Painted Word by Tom Wolfe
Mr.Wolfe really, really has a bone to pick with famous art critics and art theorists. He provided no citations on anything that had numbers. It’s all opinion, and I disagree with him.
A fun read, but man, he did not like art at this time.
It’s an interesting read in 2023, especially with the epilogue proclaiming what museums would be like in 2000. Was he joking when he said that art critics and theory would be posted everywhere instead of art? Probably, but I feel like part of him wasn’t.
My first sentence alludes to my biggest gripe with this book. He criticizes art critics for only liking modern art, but also points out that realistic art (photo realism in this case) was popular. Modern and realism were both doing fine, it didn’t seem like then, and it doesn’t seem like now, we’re heading towards a world where there is no realism.
Eh, what do I know. I’m not an art critic. I’m just a guy that found this book at a used book store. Tom Wolfe really did not like art critics and art between ~1935-1975.
A fun read, but man, he did not like art at this time.
It’s an interesting read in 2023, especially with the epilogue proclaiming what museums would be like in 2000. Was he joking when he said that art critics and theory would be posted everywhere instead of art? Probably, but I feel like part of him wasn’t.
My first sentence alludes to my biggest gripe with this book. He criticizes art critics for only liking modern art, but also points out that realistic art (photo realism in this case) was popular. Modern and realism were both doing fine, it didn’t seem like then, and it doesn’t seem like now, we’re heading towards a world where there is no realism.
Eh, what do I know. I’m not an art critic. I’m just a guy that found this book at a used book store. Tom Wolfe really did not like art critics and art between ~1935-1975.