Criticizing Photographs: Chapter 6

In this chapter, Terry Barrett discusses judging photographs, criticizing photographs and how interpretations can affect both of these actions. There are five types of judgements. Positive judgements are found frequently within the professional criticism world. Negative judgements which disapprove of the artwork, surprisingly, are not found as often as one might think. Implied judgments do not explicitly give positive or negative judgements. Typically, you can figure out what type of judgement the critic is trying to make by the context that the article is placed in and the general tone of article. Opposing judgements are when critics disagree with another critic's judgment on a particular piece of artwork. Also, they may have the same judgement but for different reasons. Comparative judgements are when a critic compares the work of one artist (or one particular piece of work) to that of another artist. Sometimes critics may feel that a particular artist or piece of work is not comparable to any other artist or  work.

In order for a judgement to be beneficial there has to be a reason for that judgement. The purpose of judgements is not to decide if a piece of artwork is right or wrong, but rather they try to persuade the reader to agree with the critics judgment. However, they are also supposed to allow the reader (or viewer) to come to their own conclusions and judgements on the artwork.

The theories of art, realism, expressionism, formalism, and instrumentalism, are all linked with the criteria in which we judge art. People have ideas in their heads about what art should be or what art is and this can often inhibit the judging process and have an affect on the reasons which back up the judgement made. Many times when critics are judging art, they are also theorizing about art.

I know that when I am at a museum or viewing a student's artwork, in the back of my mind, I'm trying to fit it into the categories of art that I already know about. This occurs usually without me even really concentrating on it. Sometimes the artwork might fit, other times it's off in it's own category.