Objectively art?: an examination of the critical reception of Dale Chihulys work

Abstract

Artist Dale Chihuly (b. 1941) is arguably one of the most controversial figures in the contemporary art world. Well-known for his monumental glass sculptures, Chihuly has positioned himself as a recognizable brand name in the art industry, with thousands of people viewing his work over the last fifty years. Since the 1960s, Chihulys objects have been showcased in over 197 exhibitions and at least 230 museums own a Chihuly artwork as part of their permanent collection. It can be difficult to imagine that Chihuly is such a polarizing figure when his career has resulted in these types of statistics, but an examination of the critical reception of his work reveals his controversial position in the art world. Criticism of Chihuly and his projects primarily takes the form of online short exhibition reviews and accounts of his techniques. The authors of these short critiques are often professional art critics, who generally work for newspapers or art magazines. Some longer critical essays exist in the form of book introductions published by Chihulys studio. These writers are usually art historians or curators who have been commissioned by the studio to write an essay for a new book. Not surprisingly, the authors of the book introductions praise Chihuly, while the professional art critics write scathing reviews, resulting in a perplexing disparity. Supported by an overview of his career, my meta-critical analysis examines the critical reception of Chihulys work. I argue that Chihuly is an artist whose glass works invite a discourse on our contemporary understanding of art. I begin by describing how art critics respond to Chihulys sculptures and compare their arguments to those written by art historians and curators. I then examine how Chihulys practice was influenced by the American Studio Glass movement and the history of the glass making tradition. My argument ends with my own critical review of his most recent projects, the Chihuly Sanctuary and the Glass on Glass series.