October 2011

The Deflationary Posture — by Jere Williams

A version of this paper was presented at the College Art Association annual convention in NY City in 2007

Many students of art today are being described as disaffected, disengaged, and indifferent to critical commentary.  These students can be said to have adopted a “deflationary posture.” But this posture is more than merely an attitude towards criticism, it incorporates cultural practices and philosophical positions.  While as a symptom reluctance towards criticism is both comprehendible and common, the deflationary posture is a consequence of the attempt to resolve conflicting positions concerning identity, epistemology, and the practice of art. This essay is an analysis of the engendering conditions and consequences of such a posture.  In general, the deflationary posture will not be productive in sustaining the discipline of art making.