video review week 11

I chose to watch videos:  Greenberg on Pollock: An Interview by T. J. Clark, The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture, and Jackson Pollock: Michael Fried and T. J. Clark in Conversation. These videos related to my art criticism project because some of them helped me to see the thinking process that goes into art criticism, and the different results that will happen. The videos showed me that even critics who are so set on their word, often change their mind entirely about a piece over time. It's all about experience, and the more experience one has with a piece, the more they will have to say/judge about it. There's quite a difference from viewing a piece once, and viewing it day after day for years. 
In the first video, Clement Greenberg discussed Jackson Pollock's style of painting, and how Pollock did not like easel paintings. He made sure his pieces didn't remain easel paintings once he finished them. Greenberg considered Pollock to be a kind of outsider, whose approach to painting was pragmatic, and down to earth. Pollock never materialized to the transition of painting from easel to mural painting. He knew this, and accepted that his paintings were not murals. What was important was his independence from contained characteristics of modern painting, and his were wild and not contained.  Though Pollock believes his works were not contained, some critics argue this.
The second video discussed the Dahomian exhibit and that Dahome art is often ignored as art, and accepted as craft. At the 1900's World Fair, it featured art from all different cultures which encouraged different ways of viewing. The different views, that were spurred on by the material on display as art in Western collections include political contexts as well as cultural. They don't show any connection to cultural meaning, unless the viewer perceives it in this way. The Western viewers believed that all they were seeing was art.
The last video discussed Jackson Pollock between two critics, who start out with ideas about his work at one time, and how their ideas change as time passes. This video showed that just because critics make initial judgements doesn't mean they're always final, they always have the potential to modify. Both critics Michael Fried, and T.J. Clark agree on a historical way of looking at art, that the historical significance of Pollock's work cannot be separated from its pictorial quality. His work requires much concentration, and critics have problems describing it in the first place, for it's difficult to relate with his intentions.
I liked viewing the videos, especially the ones about Jackson Pollock, because his work is of interest to me. It was interesting to hear critics arguing, and how their ideas can change. I believe I have more of an understanding of art criticism because I was able to see that ideas can always change, however strong they may seem, they always have the right to change.