How to Critique Art in the Media
Media art, much like any other art form, is an expression of thought or feeling. It can also be highly subjective, meaning that it can affect different people each in various ways. To critique a work of art properly, the first thing you need to do is familiarize yourself with basic artistic vocabulary such as subject, form, style and composition. Here are some other tips to help you effectively critique art in the media today.
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Instructions
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Get some background information about how media art got started. To properly assess an art form, it might be a good idea to learn how the form got started in the first place. Media art developed around the 1960s, and has dramatically changed since then. Nam June Paik and Wolf Vostell were two of media art's initial progenitors.
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Consider a piece's influence or relevance. Much of great art will have some social, historical or political relevance or value. Think about if the work is influenced by political or social upheaval, for example. Know that some countries severely restrict certain technologies crucial to media performance, as well. Understand how this may inhibit or promote how a media work is developed.
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Familiarize yourself with the different types of media art. There are many types of media art including Ascii Art, Hacktivism and Interactive Art. Determine which type is meaningful to you and think about how its visual or audio elements make you feel the way that you do. Have a working knowledge of media art vocabulary such as open sourcing and telepresence. You may also want to compare various artists either in contrast or in parallel to the other. Some of the more current and influence media artists include: Lynn Hershman, Golan Levin and Camile Utterback.
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Examine the value of transformation and preservation. Media art is ever changing and some of its more antiquated styles are in danger of becoming obsolete. Consider how preserving older media art works will clearly delineate its progress for later generations, for example. The Documentation and Conservation of the Media Arts Heritage (DOCAM) is a research organization dedicated to preserving media artworks for posterity.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to make a draft of outline when you want to critique art in the media. It will help you organize your thoughts.
It is a good idea to review as many different art mediums as you can.
Be careful when dealing with socially controversial material. It might be difficult as most art is highly subjective. Try to be as objective as possible.
