Art21 Extended Play

Gabriel Orozco Critiques Crits

Gabriel Orozco Mirror Crit

Gabriel Orozco discussing Knife (2012) by Maximiliano Siñani. Production still from the series Exclusive. © Art21, Inc. 2014. Cinematographer: Rafael Salazar.

“It’s not about my opinion; it’s about what I miss, what I couldn’t see in the images of the work.” —Gabriel Orozco

Today’s Exclusive features artist Gabriel Orozco conducting what he calls a “Mirror Crit,” during which he presents a student’s artwork as if it is his own. Orozco conceived of the Mirror Crit after doing one-on-one critiques with college art students, where they typically explain or defend their work. Orozco sought an alternative to help students better understand what their images communicate. He discusses each photograph without having previous knowledge of the student’s background or intentions, allowing the images to, in a sense, speak for themselves. The Mirror Crit session in this film features the work of Maximiliano Siñani, and took place as part of Gabriel Orozco’s Spanish Lessons project at Marian Goodman Gallery (New York) in late 2013.

Exclusive is supported, in part, by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; 21c Museum Hotel, and by individual contributors.