The Tasks of Criticism
HE critic is an artist in his own right. The idea that he criticises because he himself cannot do the job is to-day discredited. A. R. D. Fairburn, who speaks as well as he writes, opened a series of Winter Course talks from 1YA on criticism in the arts, by discussing the principles of criticism. His talk, presented lucidly and logically, was an admirable introduction to the subject. Mr. Fairburn described the functions of criticism as twofold-to state the nature of the work and to evaluate it, Evalua-
tion is the really important job. Standards of art criticism in New Zealand are relatively low. It may be that writers here lack the essential critical qualities, but it is possible also that we have not yet a definitive enough tradition in the arts to supply adequate premises as bases of judgment. "To assay value," said Mr. Fairburn, "implies something with which to measure it." Time and the formative influence of education alone can create traditions of taste and judgment.
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 15, Issue 366, 28 June 1946, Page 15
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172The Tasks of Criticism New Zealand Listener, Volume 15, Issue 366, 28 June 1946, Page 15
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