Barrett Chapter 3

In Chapter 3: Describing Art, Barrett tells us how to effectively criticize art.  The three most important aspects to look at for effective art criticism are subject matter, medium and form.  It is also necessary to provide background information.  This can be information about the artist, artwork, or the time period and culture in which it was created.  Putting a piece into historical text can give viewers a sense of how and why it was created.  The medium which an artist chooses can give us great insight into an artwork, and this aspect is often overlooked.  Form is equally important, as it gives information about how the artist chooses to present their artwork.  It is also important to note not only what the artist includes, but what they exclude as well.  The best critics are able to engage their readers with their writing style and descriptions.  By writing with passion and importance, they can make a huge difference in the interest their readers take in the art and how engaged they become.  A critic could be describing the most beautiful work of art ever created, but if they have a dry writing style it will likely get little attention.