Nathaniel McLin is a Chicago-based art critic whose been published in numerous publications and frequently writes for Paint magazine. He also hosts a radio show called “The Art Musuem of Chicago” on WHPK 88.5 fm in Chicago. Nathaniel also contributed an essay for Kerry James Marshall’s catalogue One True Thing: Meditations on Black Aesthetics.
Recently, Nathaniel McLin made a comment on Joyce Owens: Artist on Art concerning art critics and getting reviews published:
“I would say as an art critic it is very difficult to get editors to publish a review of an artist/home studio show. Editors prefer to publish reviews of artist in third party venues. Also, most of the major organizations that promote artist on their web sites and lists refuse to deal with artist cooperatives. I found I will hurt my career by pushing artists that are not in the gallery system. Every time I try to write about a local artist that is not a recent MFA grad following a trendy movement I risk being cut off from that publication permanently.”
Neoteric Art: Why do you think art publications do not want to publish art reviews of non-gallery work?
Nathaniel McLin: For obvious business reasons I am reluctant to name names. However, I will address the question indirectly. Why should an editor waste precious space on an artist without the signifiers of institutional support? Who knows what state of affairs exists within an artist’s studio/home environment—why take the risk?
Also, magazines are part of the same network of museums, universities, curators, collectors and historians that constitute the art world hegemony. [For a more in depth look at this question please] read my interview with Lane Relyea published in the national magazine Paint which no one would publish here in Chicago.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Good question and succinct answer. It makes good sense for today.
The internet is changing everything including the model for art reviews and the need for them to be in newspapers and magazines. Many artists disdain the systems as they stand. With the demise of many newspapers and magazines who cannot sustain advertisers the art critics as we know them, who have already been relegated to less space and covering a wider range of cultural events, may become whoever takes the reigns via the internet. Paul Klein is an example of a powerful voice who is “heard” through his own venue: The Artletter.
Additionally the flood of people identifying as visual artists tells us everyone will not be covered anyway. The stunt artists will produce guerilla exhibitions, assassination shows, etc. to get notice.
Will art criticism, like poetry, will live, but with lesser notice from much of the world community?
July 13th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Art publications should take more of a risk and publish non-gallery artist reviews. Publications should not be a slave to trends but have more faith in their critics and writers.
The internet is changing things for the better but I still feel that getting published in an art magazine or newspaper holds a lot more weight than a blog (for now).
July 18th, 2008 at 6:17 am
Hello this is Nathaniel McLin for the downloadable Paint verison of the Relyea interview go to ;http://www.esnips.com/doc/76aa7b69-72fa-44ae-859f-85d59bd1f13d/How-to-get-over-in-the-Museum-world-game
On esnips I am known as Artnews. Also, I want input from the arts community so I can write a follow up article. So,please leave comments on the esnips site. Thank you very much.