Unit 4: Formalist Criticism

Formalist criticism is a form of criticism that focuses primarily on the elements and design of works of art instead of the historical factors or the biography of the artist. Formalist critics do not take into consideration the true meaning behind a painting. They only focus on the elements used to create the art piece. While the elements of design are essential in a work of art, the background of the piece of art is more important because it expresses the artist’s style and message. Ignoring the underlying message and focusing on things such as balance, lines, light and values, and colors depletes the communicative aspect of a painting. The background or the content of a piece of art defines it and gives it meaning. The content of a piece of art distinguishes it from another piece and makes it unique. The content of a piece of art speaks for the artist using the images present. A picture is only worth a thousand words when there is a story being depicted. By disregarding the content portion of artwork and focusing on the design tactics used, formalist critics miss out on the plot of the art piece. Personally, I believe critics should take into consideration every segment of a work of art because dissecting certain sections of the art piece only distorts the true meaning.