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Philosopher Suzanne Langer wrote that art is expressive form. The essence of visual art is a non-verbal feeling involving more heart than head. As the photography critic for the Columbus Dispatch for 8 years, I enjoyed the challenge of finding words to evaluate the shows I reviewed. I sought to use clear, simple language that accurately reflected my reaction to the work. Such ideas would find little sympathy among the academics specializing in art these days, who depend on meaningless catch-phrases such as "post-modern" and "deconstruction" to reassure themselves that they have expertise in a realm of human creation whose appreciation requires only taste, awareness, and sensitivity. The fig leaves they wear to hide their aesthetic nakedness are big, abstract, pretentious words. Here are some I unearthed from Deanna Petherbride's "The Primacy of Drawing".

Description
Philosopher Suzanne Langer wrote that art is expressive form. The essence of visual art is a non-verbal feeling involving more heart than head. As the photography critic for the Columbus Dispatch for 8 years, I enjoyed the challenge of finding words to evaluate the shows I reviewed. I sought to use clear, simple language that accurately reflected my reaction to the work. Such ideas would find little sympathy among the academics specializing in art these days, who depend on meaningless catch-phrases such as "post-modern" and "deconstruction" to reassure themselves that they have expertise in a realm of human creation whose appreciation requires only taste, awareness, and sensitivity. The fig leaves they wear to hide their aesthetic nakedness are big, abstract, pretentious words. Here are some I unearthed from Deanna Petherbride's "The Primacy of Drawing".