A “crit session” is a strange space: we show something without really knowing what we are trying to say, and often only realize what we have said through the reactions of others. On the other hand, we evaluate work without being able to specify clear criteria for our judgment in advance. A crit session can drag on for hours without anything meaningful being said.
It can take unexpected turns, and seemingly trivial things can suddenly become important. It can be intimate and too intimate, hierarchical and not hierarchical enough. It can be empathetic and violent, and sometimes both at the same time.
At the beginning of his book “Art Critique: A Guide,” James Elkins recounts an art critique in which one of the supervisors says after a performance:
“You know, you have very hairy legs.” This sparked a lively conversation about body hair and shaving: “What amazed me, and continues to amaze me, is that there was no sense that the conversation had strayed off topic. It is an art critique, I thought: a place where all possible subjects are permitted, all at once.
There are no rules. It was one of the strangest conversations I had ever been part of.“ This anecdote highlights the ambiguity of the work meeting format. ”A place where all possible subjects are permitted" can be liberating. At the same time, this indeterminacy offers opportunities for abuse of power and makes it difficult to recognize abusive and manipulative behavior:
A comment about body hair can be an important and helpful intervention, or simply a sexist demonstration of power—or both. The indeterminacy of the conversation situation allows the line between the two to be drawn only individually and often only in retrospect.
In this seminar, we will approach the “art critique” from two sides:
Starting from the working hypothesis that the peculiarities of the work discussion are not accidental, but lie in the conceptual and institutional conditions of modern and contemporary art, we want to examine the historical framework of the academy and the aesthetic concepts that enable the specific format of the work discussion.
Secondly, we will examine our own experiences and compare various practices, methods of dealing with the indeterminacy of art critiques. This may be, for example, how we cultivate a sensitivity to structural violence without closing off the openness that is the special power of art critiques.
For this dual reflection work, we will look at methods developed in other fields to create or work with underdetermined situations as needed: These range from phenomenological reduction and epoché in philosophy, to the rules of free association and equally suspended attention in psychoanalysis, to practices of radical listening in anti-racism and anti-sexism work.

Students are given all the freedom that their study regulations allow when it comes to coursework: from academic and essayistic to artistic formats—the important question here is: Which format is the best way to address my questions?

Of course, there is the option of writing an art-theoretical paper. However, personal reflection will also play a major role in our seminar when it comes to questions such as: What were our experiences in work meetings? How would we like to structure work meetings? Therefore, other formats are also possible, e.g., personal reflection in the form of an essay, interviews with colleagues and lecturers, or testing an alternative crit-method with colleagues. Artistic work is also possible

For students interested in a theoretical work who have difficulty with writing, there is also the option of an oral exam.

Due to the block format, there will naturally be some overlap with other seminars. I will therefore be as accommodating as possible with absences and will provide sufficient opportunities to make up for any missed sessions. Please feel free to discuss any problems with me personally so that we can find individual solutions.

The course language is German. The literature is in English. However, you do not need to be able to speak German to participate in the seminar. I will do my best to ensure that participants whose native language is not German can participate in the seminar. You can speak English, and I will respond in English. I will repeat important explanations in English. Experience has shown that many course participants switch back and forth between German and English. If you feel unsure whether you can do it, just come to the first meetings and try it out.