Customer Reviews

ARTnews

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As an artist, I need to be "in the know" a bit, and ARTnews is one of the 3 magazines I subscribe to for this purpose.
I use it primarily for: # 1, the ads, which are mostly gallery ads, and let me know what is showing, and where. # 2, the exhibit reviews (N.Y., National, International), for the same reason as # 1, and the classifieds, which sometimes give a competition notice not available elsewhere.

Regular departments include: "ARTtalk", which is the lighter side of the news, and "National/International News", which has more of a business slant, obituaries, etc.

Each issue has a "theme". The November 2001 for instance, has fashion design, with 3 articles on art/fashion, and one on Mary McFadden's sculpture collection. It also has "The New Climate", about art after 9/11, from a response by several artists to the loss of a 100 million $ in art.
Also included is a large section on new art books, and the obligatory "avante garde" piece. There are too many "shock art" articles in this magazine for my taste, therefore 4 instead of 5 stars, but I guess some people still consider this a "trend".

Good quality paper, excellent color reproduction, and the wide range of art represented make this a useful magazine for both artist and collector.

ARTnews takes its hits from readers: paper is not high quality, the inks smear after a couple of readings, there is a lot of `outsider art' in the ads and a lot of competitions, schools, prizes etc most of which seem to stress entrance fees over artistic interest, and the reporting seems weighted to out of focus art shows. But there must be some reason it is still around, despite the competition. ARTnews is a quick read, lots of things happemn between its coevers, and it seems to be of more interest to working artsts than to the big gun collectors and museums. That is fine: the art world is bizarre enough in its diffuse goals (when there are some evident!), and this journal seems to satisfy the casual magazine collector. The writing by contributing editors is definitely improving and some of the critiques are very eloquent. A good bargain art periodical

This magazine, Artforum International and Art in America are all higher on the amazon.com site than on their respective web sites. Super-natural coincidence, or profit-taking?

Beware ArtNews web price, too - in the magazine, they are charging 19.98 for 11 issues, but not on the web.

Michael Hawk
http://hawk.herronhaven.com

In the other reviews nobody has mentioned that ARTnews has done VERY important investigative reporting and even crusading for the restitution of artworks stolen by the Nazis. They have followed other similar lines over a long period of time. I don't think any other magazine has shown such responsibility. They have been trying but have not yet succeeded in covering art of the nation or world as a whole instead of SOOOOOOO much on NYC. That may almost be too much of a challenge as the art world continues to grow and spread out, and so much of it is available online.
Christy

I am a practicing artist and would give this magazine 3 stars if I was ever sent one on time. When i subscribed to ArtNews last March, i received the February issue, followed in the next two weeks by the April and March (in that order). huh? So I called customer service and asked for a refund, since it's important for me to have current information on the art world. The lady offers a refund (but only on the issues i hadn't received). Two months later, in july, i got the june issue. again, huh? After cancelling my subscription, I signed up for a new one for Art In America in September. I've called them twice and I still haven't received an issue... and it's three days before xmas. Stick to ArtForum or ArtPapers.