Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Art Critics become Sports Writers
Today in the Guardian the art critics have become sports writers for a day, while tomorrow the sports writers will become art critics for the day (after reading that sentence, I just wondered why the sports writers are called "writers" and the arts writers are called "critics".. does art have to be criticized to be written about?)
Anyway, it's a fun idea! I'm looking forward to seeing how the sports writers go tomorrow. Today the dance critic Judith Mackrell wrote about horse racing, the theatre critic Michael Billington wrote a report on darts, rock music critic Caroline Sullivan wrote about cricket (something like baseball for those that don't know what cricket is), critic of classical music Erica Jeal did a report on motorcycle racing, and the visual arts critic Jonathan Jones wrote about football (soccer).
The critics meet the champions
"Sport and culture are often thought to have nothing in common. But is this really true? What would happen if the Guardian's arts critics and sports writers swapped roles for a day? Today the critics get a taste of the sporting life, while tomorrow the sports team are set loose on the contemporary arts world" Guardian
I don't know much about sports writing, but I don't think Jonathon Jones will be asked to write about football again anytime soon..
"Watching football is, in theory, a bit like looking at art. The view from my seat (which has its own little TV monitor) might be compared to looking down on a vast green abstract canvas laid flat, with dots oscillating about like some 1960s piece of kinetic art. But while I can find deep meaning in, say, an abstract by Jackson Pollock, the game of football has always been as indecipherable to me as some people profess to find modern art. I am a football philistine." Jonathon Jones
Update: See also Sports Writers become Art Critics ¶ 11:30 PM
Anyway, it's a fun idea! I'm looking forward to seeing how the sports writers go tomorrow. Today the dance critic Judith Mackrell wrote about horse racing, the theatre critic Michael Billington wrote a report on darts, rock music critic Caroline Sullivan wrote about cricket (something like baseball for those that don't know what cricket is), critic of classical music Erica Jeal did a report on motorcycle racing, and the visual arts critic Jonathan Jones wrote about football (soccer).
The critics meet the champions
"Sport and culture are often thought to have nothing in common. But is this really true? What would happen if the Guardian's arts critics and sports writers swapped roles for a day? Today the critics get a taste of the sporting life, while tomorrow the sports team are set loose on the contemporary arts world" Guardian
I don't know much about sports writing, but I don't think Jonathon Jones will be asked to write about football again anytime soon..
"Watching football is, in theory, a bit like looking at art. The view from my seat (which has its own little TV monitor) might be compared to looking down on a vast green abstract canvas laid flat, with dots oscillating about like some 1960s piece of kinetic art. But while I can find deep meaning in, say, an abstract by Jackson Pollock, the game of football has always been as indecipherable to me as some people profess to find modern art. I am a football philistine." Jonathon Jones
Update: See also Sports Writers become Art Critics ¶ 11:30 PM
Fun concept!
If only the arts, especially visual art, could get the dense coverage sports gets!
I would be in heaven.
Everyone knows that Tiger is exceptional because they get to see him compete with his peers on an on-going basis. We hear the critical commentary from golf authorities describing what makes him great.
Not only would this exposure help with marketing art, it would also educate us.
The questions people have about art, like "what is it"? Or the comments such as "my 5 year old could do that" might be addressed if there was an on-going coverage of artists, exhibitions, etc., similar to the seemingly, never-ending sports coverage.
If only the arts, especially visual art, could get the dense coverage sports gets!
I would be in heaven.
Everyone knows that Tiger is exceptional because they get to see him compete with his peers on an on-going basis. We hear the critical commentary from golf authorities describing what makes him great.
Not only would this exposure help with marketing art, it would also educate us.
The questions people have about art, like "what is it"? Or the comments such as "my 5 year old could do that" might be addressed if there was an on-going coverage of artists, exhibitions, etc., similar to the seemingly, never-ending sports coverage.
Yeah mainstream media really only picks up arts stories when theyre weird and/or shocking Joyce.
I dont thinks arts writers do much for spreading the art message either with their word puzzles. I only read art news and reviews because i LOVE art.
If I only had a passing interest in art I dont think I would read art critics as theyre usually full of themselves.
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I dont thinks arts writers do much for spreading the art message either with their word puzzles. I only read art news and reviews because i LOVE art.
If I only had a passing interest in art I dont think I would read art critics as theyre usually full of themselves.
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