In "The Painted Word," Wolfe targeted the art world's pretensions, arguing that the abstract expressionist movement had become a form of pseudo-intellectual posturing. He contended that the artists, dealers, critics, and collectors had created a self-serving ecosystem that prioritized fame, wealth, and status over genuine artistic expression. Wolfe's essay was a call to arms, urging a return to a more authentic and direct form of artistic communication.
He famously coined the phrase "The Painted Word" to describe the moment when art critics (specifically Clement Greenberg, Harold Rosenberg, and Leo Steinberg) became more important than the artists. tom wolfe the painted word pdf better
Stop reading about the painting. Look at the painting. And if you cannot do that, at least read Wolfe’s polemic in a format that lets you argue with every single glorious, arrogant, brilliant word. In "The Painted Word," Wolfe targeted the art
Wolfe contends that by the mid-20th century, modern art had reached a point where it could no longer be understood or appreciated without a written manifesto or complex theory to justify its existence. He famously reverses the old adage "seeing is believing," suggesting that in the modern art scene, "believing [the theory] is seeing" the art. The Art Newspaper The "Kings of Cultureburg" He famously coined the phrase "The Painted Word"
Keep in mind that accessing copyrighted materials without permission may be against the law. You may also want to consider purchasing a copy of Wolfe's essay or his book, "The Me Decade," which includes "The Painted Word."