Aphorisms for Artists by Walter Darby Bannard

Aphorism #36

Writing about art is only useful to art when it leads into the experience of art.

Art writing is wholly subordinate to art itself. Its job is to describe, illuminate, report on and point to art of interest.

Writing about the art world—prices, gossip, trends and the like—can be quite interesting, but it is less about art than the relationship of art to other things.

Real art criticism only needs two words: go look.

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