Peter Schjeldahl, (born 1942), is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
art criticAn art critic is a person who specializes in evaluating art. Their written critiques, or reviews, are published in newspapers, magazines, books and on web sites...
,
poetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and educator.
Schjeldahl was born in
FargoFargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2008, its population was estimated at nearly 100,000 and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 195,685...
,
North DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America; on the Canadian border halfway between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. North Dakota is the 19th largest state by area in the U.S.; it is the 3
rd least populous, with just over 641,481 residents as...
. He grew up in small towns throughout
MinnesotaMinnesota is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. The twelfth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.2 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the...
, and attended
Carleton CollegeCarleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The College currently enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. Robert A. Oden is the current President. According to 2009 U.S...
and
The New SchoolThe New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
. He began his professional writing career as a reporter in Minnesota,
IowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of...
and
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
.
In 1964 he traveled to
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for a year before settling in New York City in 1965. Since coming to New York he has worked as an art critic for
ARTnewsARTnews is an art magazine, founded in 1902 and claiming a circulation of more than 200,000. The current editor and publisher is Milton Esterow.-Awards:...
,
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
,
The Village VoiceThe Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper in New York City, United States featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City...
, and 7 Days (The Cooper Union).
Peter Schjeldahl, (born 1942), is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
art criticAn art critic is a person who specializes in evaluating art. Their written critiques, or reviews, are published in newspapers, magazines, books and on web sites...
,
poetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and educator.
Schjeldahl was born in
FargoFargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2008, its population was estimated at nearly 100,000 and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 195,685...
,
North DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America; on the Canadian border halfway between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. North Dakota is the 19th largest state by area in the U.S.; it is the 3
rd least populous, with just over 641,481 residents as...
. He grew up in small towns throughout
MinnesotaMinnesota is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. The twelfth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.2 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the...
, and attended
Carleton CollegeCarleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The College currently enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. Robert A. Oden is the current President. According to 2009 U.S...
and
The New SchoolThe New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
. He began his professional writing career as a reporter in Minnesota,
IowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of...
and
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
.
Art critic
In 1964 he traveled to
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for a year before settling in New York City in 1965. Since coming to New York he has worked as an art critic for
ARTnewsARTnews is an art magazine, founded in 1902 and claiming a circulation of more than 200,000. The current editor and publisher is Milton Esterow.-Awards:...
,
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
,
The Village VoiceThe Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper in New York City, United States featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City...
, and 7 Days (The Cooper Union). In 1998 he joined
The New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry published by Condé Nast Publications...
where he is currently the head art critic. During his career Schjeldahl has written several books of
poetryPoetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
as well as art criticism. He taught at
Harvard UniversityHarvard University is a private university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1636 by the colonial Massachusetts legislature, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and currently comprises ten separate academic units...
in the Department of Visual and Environmental Studies for four years as well. He has been honored with a
GuggenheimGuggenheim may refer to:* Benjamin Guggenheim* Charles Guggenheim* Davis Guggenheim* Guggenheim family* Guggenheim Fellowship* Guggenheim Museums* Harry Frank Guggenheim* John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation* Meyer Guggenheim...
fellowship for his poetry and the Frank Jewett Mather Award for art criticism by the College Art Association (The Cooper Union). Schjeldahl currently resides in New York where he continues to write a weekly art column for The New Yorker. He is married to Brooke Alderson, an actress.
Poet
Schjeldahl’s
poetryPoetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
falls in line with many of the characteristic themes and styles of the
New York SchoolThe New York School was an informal group of American poets, painters, dancers, and musicians active in the 1950s, 1960s in New York City...
. As a contemporary postmodern poet, Schjeldahl believed fervently in the idea that poetry should be enjoyed and understood by all readers. In an interview with the Virginia Commonwealth University’s Blackbird Schjeldahl commented on how
“there are no rewards in being obscure or abstruse or overbearing” (Wolgamott). Schjeldahl’s work reflects this attitude and his beliefs against institutionalizing art and poetry.
His poetry succeeds without a great deal of complexity in language usage or style while maintaining a definite seriousness and poignancy in his themes. Schjeldahl’s poetry often addresses common experiences or familiar events in a way which grounds his work and accentuates his messages. This can be seen in poems like “My Generation” where he opens with:
“Vietnam/ Drugs/ Civil Rights/ Rock/ Watergate/ (in that order?)/ Are the blows of history/ That have left my generation/ Its peculiar battered silhouette.” As this passage shows, Schjeldahl fuels much of his poetry with historical and biographical contexts which help audiences relate more intimately with his work.
As an art critic and as a poet Schjeldahl’s main ambition has been seeded in his desire to help people enjoy art. In the same interview with Blackbird Schjeldahl stated how “
writing things that people want to read is my bread and butter” (Wolgamott). Schjeldahl’s poetry exists as poetry that demands to be read and enjoyed rather than studied in classrooms. The significance of his work comes from the lively nature his poetry manages to maintain while simultaneously delivering very impacting messages. Schjeldahl’s lasting influence comes from his ability to write poetry and criticize art in the late twentieth century where most audiences have tended to stray away from the arts in favor of more commercialized entertainment. Schjeldahl’s poetry stands out influentially among the works of the New York School of poets and the current American art communities.
Awards
The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute named Peter Schjeldahl the winner of the 2008 Clark Prize for Excellence in Arts Writing. The prize was established in 2006 to recognize writers who advance public appreciation of visual art in a way that "is grounded in scholarship yet appeals to a broad range of audiences." It comes with a $25,000 honorarium and an award designed by architect
Tadao Andois a Japanese architect whose approach to architecture was once categorized as critical regionalism. Ando has led a storied life, working as a truck driver and boxer prior to settling on the profession of architecture, despite never having taken formal training in the field.He works primarily in...
.
Books
- Let's See: Writings on Art from The New Yorker, Thames & Hudson, New York, NY, 2008
- De Kooning
Willem de Kooning was an abstract expressionist artist, born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.In the post-World War II era, de Kooning painted in a style that came to be referred to variously as Abstract expressionism, Action painting, and the New York School...
and DubuffetJean Philippe Arthur Dubuffet was one of the most famous French painters and sculptors of the second half of the 20th century.-Life and work:...
: The Late Works, Pace Gallery Publications, New York, NY, 1993.
- The Hydrogen Jukebox: Selected Writings of Peter Schjeldahl, 1978-1990. Edited by Malin Wilson, University of California Press
University of California Press, also known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish books and papers for the faculty of the University of California, established 25 years earlier in 1868...
, Berkeley, CA, 1991.
- The 7 Days Art Columns,1988-1990, Figures Press, New York, NY, 1990.
- Jean Dubuffet
Jean Philippe Arthur Dubuffet was one of the most famous French painters and sculptors of the second half of the 20th century.-Life and work:...
: Recent Paintings, October 31-29 November 1980 The Pace Gallery: Exhibition, The Gallery. New York, NY, 1980.
- Since 1964: New and Selected Poems, SUN, New York, NY, 1978.
- Dreams, Angel Hair Books, New York, NY, 1973.
- An Adventure of the Thought Police, Ferry Press, London, England, 1971.
- White Country, Corinth Books, New York, NY, 1968.
Contributed to
- Cindy Sherman. Whitney Museum of American Art. New York, NY, 1987.
- De Kooning: Drawings, Sculptures: An Exhibition Organized by Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, March 10-April 21, 1974. Dutton. New York, NY, 1974.
- Dean Sobel, Jackie Winsor. Milwaukee Art Museum. Milwaukee, WI, 1991.
- Edward Hopper: Light Years, October 1 to November 12, 1988. Hirschl & Adler Galleries. New York, NY, 1988.
- Elizabeth Prelinger and Michael Parke-Taylor, The Symbolist Prints of Edvard Munch: The Vivian and David Campbell Collection. Yale University Press. New Haven, CT, 1996.
- Eric Fischl. Edited by David Whitney, Art in America: Stewart, Tabori & Chang. New York, NY, 1988.
- Jean Dubuffet. 1943-1963: Paintings, Sculptures, Assemblages: An Exhibition. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, DC, 1993.
- Liza Lou: Essays by Peter Schjeldahl and Marcia Tucker. Smart Art Press. Santa Monica, CA, 1998.
- Louis Carlos Bernal and others, Ten Photographers, Olympic Images. Los Angeles Center for Photographic Studies. Los Angeles, CA, 1984.
- Lucas Samaras, Samaras Pastels: Denver Art Museum, October 3-December 27, 1981. edited by Marlene Chambers, The Museum. Denver, CO, 1981.
- Olav Christopher Jenssen: Bilder 1990-1994. Kestner-Gedellschaft. Hannover, Germany, 1995.
- Picasso’s Dora Maar/ De Kooning's Women. C&M Arts. New York, NY, 1998.
- Richard Bosman, Gifts of the Sea: Mandeville Gallery, University of California, San Diego, May 19 through June 25, 1989. The Gallery. San Diego, CA, 1989.
- Richard Deacon. Phaidon. London, England, 1995.
- Salle. Vintage Books. New York, NY, 1987.
- Shards: Garth Clark on Ceramic Art. Art Publishers. New York, NY, 2003.
- The Inward Eye: Transcendence in Contemporary Art. Contemporary Arts Museum. Houston, TX, 2001.
- William Wegman. Museo de Monterrey. Monterrey, Mexico, 1993.
-Compilation of Schjeldahl’s work comes in large part from the list found on Galenet’s Contemporary Authors Online.
Articles
Retrospectives of
Franz WestFranz West is an Austrian artist who currently resides in Vienna. His radical art, which started as a reaction to the Viennese Actionism movement has been exhibited in museums and galleries for more than three decades. He is currently married to the Georgian artist Tamuna Sirbiladze who too is...
and Mary Heilmann. "The New Orleans Biennial beckons."
External links