Kinkade estimated that one of his paintings hung in every twenty homes in America. Yet the art world unanimously ignores or reviles him. Me included. Jerry Saltz americaartestimate Change image and share on social
First let me report that the art in the Barnes Collection has never looked better. My trips to the old Barnes were always amazing, but except on the sunniest days, you could barely see the art. The building always felt pushed beyond its capacity. Jerry Saltz amazeartbarely share on social
My culture-deprived, aspirational mother dragged me once a month from our northern suburb - where the word art never came up - to the Art Institute of Chicago. I hated it. Jerry Saltz artaspirationalchicago Change image and share on social
Rumors sound of galleries asking artists for upsized art and more of it. I've heard of photographers asked to print larger to increase the wall power and salability of their work. Everything winds up set to maximum in order to feed the beast. Jerry Saltz artartistask share on social
I know it's dangerous to take on bloggers. They can go after you every day, all day long, and anonymous people can chime in, too. Jerry Saltz anonymousbloggerchime Change image and share on social
Giant group events are distorting organisms: You can like and hate them in rapid succession. Jerry Saltz distorteventgiant Change image and share on social
Marlene Dumas is one of the two or three most successful female artists alive, if you judge by prices. I've never reviewed her work, because I find nothing in it to get excited about no matter how hard I look. Jerry Saltz aliveartistduma share on social
You can't prove Rembrandt is better than Norman Rockwell - although if you actually do prefer Rockwell, I'd say you were shunning complexity, were secretly conservative, and hadn't really looked at either painter's work. Taste is a blood sport. Jerry Saltz bloodcomplexityconservative share on social
Many art-worlders have an if-you-say-so approach to art: Everyone is so scared of missing out on the next hot artist that it's never clear whether people are liking work because they like it or because other people do. Everyone is keeping up with the Joneses, and there are more Joneses than ever. Jerry Saltz approachartartist share on social
Abstraction brings the world into more complex, variable relations; it can extract beauty, alternative topographies, ugliness, and intense actualities from seeming nothingness. Jerry Saltz abstractionactualityalternative Change image and share on social