The Resume

(January 16, 1909-May 7, 1994)
Born in The Bronx, New York
Art critic for Partisan Review, The Nation, and Commentary
Known for championing abstract expressionism and color field painting
Wrote 'Art and Culture' (1961)
Portrayed by Jeffrey Tambor in the film Pollock (2000)

Why he might be annoying:

A colleague called him 'a master at alienating even those who admired and respected his work.'
He reportedly had affairs with several female students while teaching at Bennington College.
At a banquet, he demanded that he be reseated so he would not have to look at a picture by pop artist Larry Rivers.
He was a paid advisor to several art galleries, leading to allegations of conflict of interest, given his ability to promote artists through his reviews.
When he was the executor of the estate of the late sculptor David Smith, critic Rosalind Krauss accused him of altering Smith's work to better fit his own aesthetic ideals.

Why he might not be annoying:

He was fluent in English, French, Italian, German, and Yiddish.
He championed abstract expressionism as a means of resisting the intrusion of politics and commerce into art.
He was credited with shifting the center of the art world from Paris to New York City.
He wrote 'All profoundly original art looks ugly at first.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 88]
• I am a Bronxite
• I Attended Erasmus High School in Brooklyn
• I Attended Syracuse University
• I Died in 1994 (Ranked: 85)
• I Was Hot For My Student
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• Profiles 54501-54750 (Ranked: 54728)
• Residents of Greenwhich Village [New York City]
• Teachers

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying