Seventeenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

I recently conducted a qualitative case study asking students and alumni of a Master of Fine Arts/Studio Arts program in the United States about their experiences in and with critique in their degree program. The purpose of this study was to understand the nature of critique and add empirical research to the growing scholarly conversation about the effectiveness of critique strategies as a technique of guiding artists, bettering the artwork, and as a form of assessment in an academic setting at the graduate level. In this single case study, interviews were conducted with 8 participants affiliated with the same regionally accredited state university within the last 20 years. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for themes. Themes that emerged were ambiguity in the role of critique, including expectations of the student-maker and how work was assessed, the impact of professors’ personalities and engagement, and the discovery of and results of an overall culture of humiliation. The results of this study illuminate a need for professor and departmental reflection about setting clear and intentional expectations and goals of the critique process as they relate to educating the adult learner enrolled in a graduate program. By juxtaposing the results of this study with the requirements outlined by the regional accrediting agency and standards published by other organized bodies invested in the success of graduate programs in the fine arts, suggestions are given to help guide instructors and departments in a reflective process of evaluation of critique and instructional methods.