Writing About Art

Over the years I have developed certain criteria for writing about it. In the beginning, my approach was informed by years of study to be an art historian. For those of you who have taken an art history class, you know that the language used by art historians can be tedious and dry, peppered with buzz words and art jargon.

I had an awakening when I had to start writing for the public in my role as a museum curator and educator.  
I no longer used my writing to discuss everything I knew about the art. 
I used it to connect the objects in the galleries to the lives of people viewing it. 
And there is a big difference between the two approaches.

• Is clear, coherent, and of the vernacular. I want people to understand what you have to say--in your art and on paper.

• Gets to the point. It should be devoid of redundancy and on a diet from too many words that say too little. One of the biggest mistakes artists make is to write a lot of words that mean absolutely nothing to their viewers, grant reviewers, or members of the press.

• Is adapted to the audience that will be reading it. Text for a brochure might be very different from that of a Web site. Text written to be read primarily by other artists, curators, and critics will probably be different from that written for the general public you come across at an arts festival.

• Gives readers clues about what to look for.

• Compels readers to quit reading and return to look at the art.

This doesn't mean the writing is "dumbed down." It just means it is accessible.

Having said all of this, I still find a place for more a more scholarly approach in my art criticism. The newspaper article on the work of Juhl Wojahn is an example of this.

When editing, I look at:

• Content. Does it have teeth? Does it say enough to connect with your audience? Does it sound like you, or does it sound like the most recent artist statement you read on a gallery wall?

• Grammar. Is your grammar usage correct, but not too "stiff"? In other words, making sure it still sounds as if you're talking and not like your college English professor is lecturing.

• Punctuation. Is it used correctly, but not overused?

• Style. Does it flow and sound like "you"? Have you avoided some of the pitfalls that lead to weak writing?

  ALYSON B. STANFIELD .  500 Cascade Dr. . Golden, CO 80403 303.273.5904 . email