Taste by Clement Greenberg

Clement Greenberg spoke at Western Michigan University in 1983. With a warning that he would speak no longer than 30 minutes, he proceeded to talk for almost an hour.

The tape we used was good for 45 minutes per side, so some of his words between Part 1 and Part 2 were lost as the tape was turned. It was 16 years old when we processed it for this project. Nonetheless, it was generally in good shape. Now that its precious analog contents have been digitized, their life span is greatly extended.

Real Audio brought to you courtesy of newCrit (click to visit).

To read the text of "Taste" try The Greenberg site (click to visit).

1983 Talk at WMU: Part 1 (44:52)

1983 Talk at WMU: Part 2 (9:26)

Question 1 (9:20)

The questioner asks if art requires a social context? Greenberg replies the issue has never been successfully resolved.

Question 2 (5:26)

The questioner asks if popular art since the late 50s has helped or hurt taste? Greenberg responds that it has increased the interest in art; meantime, for whatever reason, taste has declined.

Question 3 (7:47)

The questioner askes if the information explosion has helped or hindered taste and art? Greenberg responds that information itself is neutral, but has played a role in the crisis in art education, noting that trendiness has penetrated all the way to Western.

Question 4 (16:28)

The questioner asks what is Greenberg's relationship to formalism and "the tyranny of taste?" Greenberg replies that it is a mistake to associate formalism with himself and that power and art writing don't mix.

Question 5 (0:59)

The questioner asks what about Picasso? Greenberg replies that he was a great painter until 1926 and was good at drawing throughout his life.

Question 6 (4:48)

The questioner asks what was Pollock like as a person? Greenberg replies that he was very nice and very sophisticated (except when drinking, which he did in a radical manner).

Question 7 (1:57)

The questioner asks what is the origin of decorative pattern art, and will it revive? Greenberg replies that he does not know the origin and can't tell if it will revive.

Question 8 (1:26)

The questioner asks if photography is art? Greenberg replies that when it is good it is as good as painting; same goes for all forms of printmaking.

Question 9 (2:32)

The questioner asks if taste is intuitive? Greenberg replies that it is intuitive but not instinctual, and that it develops through experience, not by learning it from others.