It's a dirty little secret in art and design education that the beloved routine of the "critique" or "crit" doesn't work. Although many tutors cling to it as an essential way of providing guidance and feedback, plenty of research has shown that it leaves the vast majority of students confused and, in some cases, distressed (trust me, I've seen the tears - and from normally "tough" students).
The only purpose the crit appears to serve is to emphasise the tutor's status as alpha male (or female, but it's usually male).
The crit was wonderfully lampooned in "Art School Confidential" by Daniel Clowes (transferred moderately well from comic book to big screen in 2005).
The big problem with crits is coming up with things to say. From my observations they have to sound profound, critical and completely vague and meaningless so that what a student thinks is "encouraging" can later be claimed to have been a warning of dire consequences. And with so many students these days, it's becoming much more difficult to come up with something new.
What we need is a tool to create endless amounts of critical responses to art projects (CRAP) from a few random seeds. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the CRAP generator!
Click the green button to start!
Disclaimer: the words come from a document circulating among staff at the university I worked at, and I don't know who wrote them (I added some of my own).
Incidentally, if you're interested in the research I mentioned, drop me a line and I'll send you a list. It's interesting that I've never found one bit of research that suggests the crit is a positive experience for anyone other than the person doing it.
Visual Communication: From Theory to Practice
(Winner of 'Best Higher Education Title' at the British Book Awards 2006)
by Jonathan Baldwin and Lucienne Roberts
More Than A Name: An introduction to branding
by Melissa Davis and Jonathan Baldwin
3 comments:
I have learned so much from your CRAP generator! Where has it been when I needed it!
All very well said on this point. I feel similarly hostile to the 360 degree peer review concept.
360 degree reviews - shudder! So far I've managed to avoid those. They were all the rage at one place I worked and fortunately I got out before I had to take part...
This article made me laugh. When I was on the general course I told my course tutor that I thought the crits were boring and a waste of time. A lot of students tried to sneak out early . I don't blame them,sometimes they lasted a whole hour and most folk were praying that no one would say too much so we could get the ordeal over with.
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