Critical Response
This presentation is the property of The Andy Warhol Museum
and may not be reproduced. All images in this presentation are
subject to copyright laws and may not be removed from this
presentation for any purpose.
Andy Warhol, Self Portrait, 1986
Acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas
108 x 108 x 1 ½ in.
The Andy Warhol Museum,
Pittsburgh; Founding Collection,
Contribution The Andy Warhol
Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
If you want to know all about Andy Warhol just
look at the surface of my paintings and films and
me, and there I am. There's nothing behind it.
--Andy Warhol
Where have you seen a critic’s opinion in
a newspaper or on a TV show?
What is a Critic?
A critic is someone who forms and expresses judgments
of the merits, faults, value or truth of a matter. A critic
gives opinions on things like:
Movies
Books
Music
Food
Art
When critics gives their opinion, they not only state likes
and dislikes, but also explain why, by including facts and
descriptions that support their opinion.
We make critical choices everyday about:
music, art, fashion and movies.
When are you a critic?
Informed vs. Uninformed Opinion
Opinion n. 1. A belief or conclusion held with confidence but
not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof: “The world
is not run by thought, nor by imagination, but by opinion.”
(Elizabeth Drew)
2. A judgment based on special knowledge and given by an
expert: a medical opinion.
• Informed Opinion: Possessing, displaying, or
based on reliable information: informed
sources; an informed opinion.
• Uninformed Opinion: Not having, showing, or
making use of information; not informed:
uninformed voters; an uninformed decision.
As a critic it is important to differentiate between
tastes and biases:
Taste: A personal
preference or liking
Bias: a preference or
an inclination,
especially one that
inhibits partial
judgment.
Identifying music tastes and biases:
Music Group
Identifying art tastes and biases:
When people view works of art for the first time,
they create a first response that is intuitive,
personal and often purely emotional; based on:
• Personal Experiences
• Feelings
• Associations
• Values
• Likes/Dislikes
How do you respond intuitively to artwork?
Willem de Kooning, Woman VI, 1953
oil on canvas, 68½ x 58½ in. Carnegie Museum of Art,
Pittsburgh, Gift of G. David Thompson ©2002 The Willem de
Kooning Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Andy Warhol, Liz, 1965,
polymer paint and silkscreen on canvas, 40 x 40 in.
The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh
Founding Collection, contribution Dia Center for the Arts
After looking at the following two paintings, answer the
questions on your handout: Intuitive Response Prompts
Another way of responding to artwork is through
Critical Response, which helps you to organize your
thoughts and to make intelligent and educated
statements about a work of art. This process is a
combination of:
• Description
• Analysis
• Interpretation
• Judgment
Description
Willem de Kooning,
Woman VI, 1953
oil on canvas, 68½ x 58½
in. Carnegie Museum of
Art, Pittsburgh, Gift of G.
David Thompson ©2002
The Willem de Kooning
Foundation / Artists Rights
Society (ARS), New York
• list the adjectives that
come to mind
• make observations
about what you see
• try to be objective
Andy Warhol, Liz, 1965,
polymer paint and
silkscreen on canvas,
40 x 40 in.
The Andy Warhol
Museum, Pittsburgh
Founding Collection,
contribution Dia Center
for the Arts
• avoid statements such
as: "I like it" or “This is
a really bad work of art.”
Analysis
Willem de Kooning,
Woman VI, 1953
oil on canvas, 68½ x 58½
in. Carnegie Museum of
Art, Pittsburgh, Gift of G.
David Thompson ©2002
The Willem de Kooning
Foundation / Artists Rights
Society (ARS), New York
• express your thoughts
about what the message,
mood or point of view the
artwork expresses.
• explain your thoughts
using the:
-Elements of Art: line,
shape, color, form, texture,
space and value
Andy Warhol, Liz, 1965,
polymer paint and
silkscreen on canvas,
40 x 40 in.
The Andy Warhol
Museum, Pittsburgh
Founding Collection,
contribution Dia Center for
the Arts
- Principles of Design: unity,
emphasis, balance, variety,
proportion, harmony,
movement and rhythm
In order to have an
informed opinion you must
also have rich knowledge
about the artwork. Use the
handouts to:
• comprehend and analyze the
historical and cultural context
in which the artworks were
made
• the artists’ methods and use of
formal principals and
conceptual ideas
• the critics who have already
published opinions about the
work.
Interpretation
• ask yourself "What does
this work say to me?“
• make guesses and
inferences based on your
experiences, values and
knowledge and
understanding of art
Willem de Kooning,
Woman VI, 1953
oil on canvas, 68½ x 58½
in. Carnegie Museum of
Art, Pittsburgh, Gift of G.
David Thompson ©2002
The Willem de Kooning
Foundation / Artists Rights
Society (ARS), New York
Andy Warhol, Liz, 1965,
polymer paint and
silkscreen on canvas,
40 x 40 in.
The Andy Warhol
Museum, Pittsburgh
Founding Collection,
contribution Dia Center for
the Arts
Judgment
• what is your critical
judgment (positive or
negative) about the
work? Support your
judgment with informed
reasoning.
• is the work of art
successful or not?
• Does the work have
artistic merit?
Willem de
Kooning, Woman
VI, 1953
oil on canvas, 68½
x 58½ in. Carnegie
Museum of Art,
Pittsburgh, Gift of
G. David
Thompson ©2002
The Willem de
Kooning
Foundation /
Artists Rights
Society (ARS),
New York
Andy Warhol,
Liz, 1965,
polymer paint
and silkscreen
on canvas, 40 x
40 in.
The Andy
Warhol
Museum,
Pittsburgh
Founding
Collection,
contribution
Dia Center for
the Arts
Now you be the critic:
Willem de Kooning,
Woman VI, 1953
oil on canvas, 68½ x 58½
in. Carnegie Museum of
Art, Pittsburgh, Gift of G.
David Thompson ©2002
The Willem de Kooning
Foundation / Artists Rights
Society (ARS), New York
Andy Warhol, Liz, 1965,
polymer paint and silkscreen
on canvas, 40 x 40 in.
The Andy Warhol Museum,
Pittsburgh
Founding Collection,
contribution Dia Center for
the Arts
Combining your ideas from your intuitive
response, research and analysis write your own
critique or “point of view” about what you think
the paintings mean.
Formulating responses to artwork is an
important part of enjoying it and the key to
developing critical analysis.