How is Art Criticism Imported? Serialized in the January 1997 Issue: "Other Criteria for Criticism ①"
This article introduces Leo Steinberg's "Other Criteria for Criticism," discussing his critique of Greenbergian formalism and the concept of the "flatbed picture plane."Summary
This article focuses on Leo Steinberg's essay, "Other Criteria for Criticism," which was serialized in the January 1997 issue of *Bijutsu Techo*. The essay critiques the formalist criticism of Clement Greenberg, which was based on a singular view of historical development, and proposes alternative, pluralistic criteria for criticism. A key concept introduced is the "flatbed picture plane," which reinterprets painting not as a window (as per Alberti's metaphor) but as a horizontal surface, exemplified by artists like Robert Rauschenberg. Steinberg argues that this plane is where "various things are scattered and data is entered," rather than where things are merely reproduced. This radical shift in perspective constituted a paradigm shift that influenced later critics like D. Krauss. The article also reflects on why this 1968 essay was translated nearly 30 years later, suggesting that its emphasis on constantly questioning one's own critical standards—embodying a companion-like, self-reflective critical stance rather than a charismatic leader type—resonated with the changing demands placed upon critics in society at that time.
(Source：美術手帖)