Why Art Cannot Be Taught: A Handbook for Art Students
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.58 (679 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0252069501 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 213 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2016-05-07 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Elkins's no-nonsense approach clears away the assumptions about art instruction that are not borne out by classroom practice. He also discusses types of art--including art that takes time to complete and art that isn't serious--that cannot be learned in studio art classes.Why Art Cannot Be Taught is a response to Elkins's observation that "we know very little about what we do" in the art classroom. His incisive commentary illuminates the experience of learning art for those involved in it, while opening an intriguing window for those outside the discipline. . In this smart survival guide for students and teachers--the only book of its kind--James Elkins examines the "curious endeavor to teach the unteachable" that is generally known as college-level art instruction. For example, he notes that despite much talk about instilling visual acuity and teaching technique, in practice neither teachers nor students behave as if those were their principal goals. This singular project is organized around a series of conflicting claims about art: "Art can be taught, but nobody knows quite how." "Art can be taught, but it seems as if it can't be
From Publishers Weekly In Why Art Cannot Be Taught: A Handbook for Art Students, James Elkins (The Object Stares Back), professor of art history, theory and criticism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, paints a nasty picture of what goes on in art schools. The chapter "Teaching and Learning Mediocre Art" begins from a sour premise, that "most artists do not make interesting art." Art students and teachers might find a grim sort of gallows accuracy in this deadly portrait of their activities. Critiques of students' art are comparable to "psychodramas," with the usual result of the criticized artist breaking down into tears. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
"Five Stars" according to Amazon Customer. Great read. More like Why post-modern, art-theory based schools are ridiculous OhYeah James Elkins is not an artist he is an art theorist. The book should be titled "Why Art Theory Fails in the Studio" or "Why James Elkin's Generally Fails to Educate". If you are interested in the 1001 and one ways that Critique and Art Theory confound themselves in inherent contradictions, then by all means. If you are down with the Elkin's self-proclaimed skepticism and cynicism with his claim that his art teaching experience is typically irrational and useless (and a dozen other negatives) but that he doesn't want to see it changed then by all means.As for the question "Why Art Cannot Be Taught" that is easy. It's not . Recovering MFA Survivor Nancy Charak As a recovering survivor of an MFA program I can wholly relate to Elkins' criticisms about the failure of critiques to shape art and artists. It is poignant that Elkins is unable to offer up a solution.