Interview with Art Critic Robert Hughes
Sunday December 24, 2006
I enjoy reading the articles and reviews of art critic Robert Hughes, and even have a collection in book form (Nothing if Not Critical), but I'm not surprised arts writer
Rachel Cooke was nervous about interviewing him about his recently published memoir (Things I Didn't Know).
Hughes is Australian by birth (he's got a star on the Sydney Writer's Walk) but since 1964 has lived in Europe and the USA, and for a long time was art critic for Time magazine. Cooke describes Hughes as "the real deal: clever and stylish, but also unsparing, brutal and excessively masculine. He belongs to that generation of men, now increasingly rare, who pride themselves on telling it like it is". He once wrote that accusing Jeff Koons of hype was "is like rebuking a fish for being wet". Read the interview with art critic Robert Hughes...
Hughes is Australian by birth (he's got a star on the Sydney Writer's Walk) but since 1964 has lived in Europe and the USA, and for a long time was art critic for Time magazine. Cooke describes Hughes as "the real deal: clever and stylish, but also unsparing, brutal and excessively masculine. He belongs to that generation of men, now increasingly rare, who pride themselves on telling it like it is". He once wrote that accusing Jeff Koons of hype was "is like rebuking a fish for being wet". Read the interview with art critic Robert Hughes...
Comments
I’ve never met anyone who has this book of critical essays, “Nothing If Not Critical”, and I’m glad to be reminded that I have it! One of my favorite painters is Susan Rothenberg. We have one of her giant horses at our local museum, hung with a few Warhols. I enjoyed re-reading Hughes’ critique of her work.
My favorite chapter in this book is Part Four: Europeans. This period in the art timeline has influenced me so much that I can’t really get enough of them. I have been particularly in awe of Max Beckman. A quote from page 167: “My heart beats more for a raw, average vulgar art, which doesn’t live between sleepy fairy-tale moods and poetry but rather concedes a direct entrance to the fearful, commonplace, splendid and the average grotesque banality in life”.
Art during this time was created in the midst of WWI, and tell of much of human turmoil and emotion. It is so good to have written record of news and critiques of the artists during this time.
My copy is rather battered as I regularly take it with me when I travel. I find it perfect for creative mental boost at the end of the day, or for dipping into while waiting in an airport.
Marion…am about to enthusiastically read the interview you’ve linked to.
On the recommendation of a friend I bought ‘Nothing If Not Critical’ as well as ‘The Fatal Shore’ about a year ago and really enjoy Hughes’ writing and shared thoughts.
With a gift certificate received for Christmas I am now in proud possession of ‘Things I Didn’t Know’.
So much Hughes, so little time!
Thanks for this.