Explores contemporary approaches which have sought to renew criticism's energies in the wake of a 'theatrical turn' in the visual arts practice, and the emergence of a 'performative' arts writing. This book provides a set of essays which demonstrate how 'the critical' might live on as a vital and efficacious force within contemporary culture.

It has recently become apparent that criticism has fallen on hard times. Either commodification is deemed to have killed it off, or it has become institutionally routine. This book explores contemporary approaches which have sought to renew criticism's energies in the wake of a 'theatrical turn' in recent visual arts practice, and the emergence of a 'performative' arts writing over the past decade or so. Issues addressed include the 'performing' of art's histories; the consequences for criticism of embracing boredom, distraction and other 'queer' forms of (in)attention; and, the importance of exploring writerly process in responding to aesthetic experience. Bringing together newly commissioned work from the fields of art history, performance studies, and visual culture with the writings of contemporary artists, "After Criticism" provides a set of experimental essays which demonstrate how 'the critical' might live on as a vital and efficacious force within contemporary culture.

List of Illustrations.Notes on Contributors.Series Editor's Preface.Introduction: The Paradoxes of Criticism. (Gavin Butt).Part I: Performing Art's Histories.1. Solo Solo Solo. (Rebecca Schneider).2. Binding to Another's Wound: Of Weddings and Witness. (Jane Blocker).3. This Is I. (Niru Ratnam).Part II: Distracted and Bored: The Critic Looks Elsewhere.4. The Trouble with Men, or, Sex, Boredom, and the Work of Vaginal Davis. (Jennifer Doyle).5. Utopia's Seating Chart: Ray Johnson, Jill Johntson and Queer Intermedia as System. (Jose Esteban Munoz).6. Looking Away: Participations in Visual Culture. (Irit Rogoff).Part III: Critical Response/Performative Process.7. Itinerant Improvisations: from 'My Favorite Things' to an 'agency of night'. (John Seth).8. A transparent lecture. (Matthew Goulish).9. The Experience of Art as a Living Through of Language. (Kate Love).Bibliography.Index