Critique is a method of disciplined, systematic analysis of a written or oral discourse.
A critic is anyone who expresses a value-judgement.
Artists and critics make an uneasy but seemingly necessary pairing. Artists usually need positive opinions from critics for their work to be viewed and purchased/funded, and of course, the critics need work to write about. Ah but how quickly the mutual backscratching becomes an unhealthy relationship, collapsing violently inward.
This article critiques the criticism of Joyce McMillan (theatre critic of the Scotsman and long-standing freelance journalist) in her critical approach to the Arches LIVE festival in Glasgow. To give a little context, Arches LIVE is a near decade-old festival of experimental performance predominantly made by emerging UK artists. The principle at the centre of Arches LIVE is the right to take risks, and therefore, the right to fail. As artistic director Jackie Wylie puts it-
“The festival celebrates the unknown, offering emergent artists the opportunity to try out fresh ideas and take risks.”
Let’s note at this stage that this does not translate as ‘the right to slack off’, or ‘the right to take the mickey out of paying audience members’. Now, on to the main event. I first raised an eyebrow at McMillan’s particular approach last year at Arches LIVE 2010-
“At the moment [she] just looks like a brilliant actress in search of material worth her metal; maybe she should take time out, and do some Shakespeare.”
Hmm…then again, everyone has an off-day, so this year I stayed optimistic, and for the most part, nothing of note happened. That was, until this morning when I caught sight of this particular piece of writing about someone’s recent work-
“…well, I don’t want to talk much about this kind of tedious, self-absorbed performance-about-performance, except to note that it enjoys its right to fail at Arches Live!, as at no other festival in the UK today.”
Such a shame. What is upsetting is not so much McMillan’s opinion, which is subjective, personal and therefore completely valid – but the power of that opinion, and the lack of responsibility with that power. When faced with such lazy causticity, is it really justifiable that one person has the right to put a permanent mark against your name? Moreover, by using the ‘right to fail’ code of Arches LIVE as a tool to snipe with, she effectively breaks that code and attacks the festival’s very heart.
Arches LIVE is not a shortcut for an artist to make a quick buck or hit the big-time. We do not do Arches LIVE because it’s the easiest path, but because our hearts guide us in that direction. We do it because the work speaks louder to us than our personal comforts. Following that logic, work which is made without cynicism deserves criticism which is less cynical also.
Let us look to the efforts of one Gareth Vile for some moral guidance. A theatre critic / performance artist, Vile’s self-reflexivity is beginning to border on being… well, actually a bit too harsh on himself. But beyond humour and irony, there is something else at work here which should appeal to any radical artist. His offer is clear, let’s step away from this game of cat and mouse, and collaborate on meaning-making together.
Indeed, it is exasperating that even with our global economic trauma, and an environmental 11th hour (if we’re lucky), that we humans are still failing to understand how much destruction is caused by us tearing each other down, and failing to envision the wonder we could create if we supported each other’s efforts. I don’t necessarily expect this of governments or the stock exchange, but we should at least be able to be a little bit ahead of the conceptual curve in the art world.
If the critics want to play with the experimental artists, then they had better learn to up their game and not take the easy route to their word count (and paycheck).
Alternatively, in the 21st century, where freeware and mass social networking allows all individuals the right to represent their opinion, if critics want to pick a fight with artists who essentially have nothing left to lose…
Bring it.
