The juxtaposition between Richard Christiansen’s “A discouraging lesson in American Lit” and Alan G. Artner’s “. . . Sherman still fascinates” stuns the mind (Feb. 22).
Christiansen points out how quality as a criterion for teaching lit has been eaten up by socio-political isms. Next door, as it were, Artner reviews the photos of Cindy Sherman, which are trivial and without any real aesthetic or mental quality.
Isms may be fine as subject or even subtext of art, but Christiansen’s alert is well taken: quality matters. Since the art world has abhorred aesthetic criteria as somehow elitist (how condescending!), there may be a way to go before we can speak of quality rather than simplistic appropriateness in discussing art and lit. I hope we all get started soon.
