Peter Schjeldahl

Peter Schjeldahl is a renowned American art critic and poet, known for his insightful writings on Modern art, Contemporary art, and Abstract expressionism. His critiques have been featured in prominent publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Artforum, where he has written about artists like Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko. Schjeldahl's work has also been influenced by his interests in French Surrealism, Dadaism, and the Bauhaus movement, as well as his admiration for critics like Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg. His writing often explores the intersection of art, culture, and society, referencing movements like Pop art, Minimalism, and Postmodernism.

● Early Life and Education

Peter Schjeldahl was born in 1942 in Fargo, North Dakota, and grew up in a family that encouraged his interest in Literature and Art history. He attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he studied English literature and developed a passion for Poetry, particularly the works of T.S. Eliot, Wallace Stevens, and John Ashbery. Schjeldahl's early education also exposed him to the works of Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and René Magritte, which would later influence his writing on Surrealism and Cubism. After college, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in writing, where he became acquainted with the city's vibrant Art world, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum.

● Career

Schjeldahl began his career as a poet, publishing his work in various literary magazines, including The Paris Review and The Nation. He soon transitioned to art criticism, writing for publications like Art in America and The Village Voice, where he covered exhibitions at The Whitney Museum of American Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. His critiques often explored the relationship between art and culture, referencing movements like Fauvism, Expressionism, and Abstract art. Schjeldahl's writing has also been influenced by his interest in Philosophy, particularly the ideas of Martin Heidegger, Theodor Adorno, and Walter Benjamin. He has written about a wide range of artists, from Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne to Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

● Writing Style and Criticism

Schjeldahl's writing style is characterized by his lyricism, wit, and intellectual curiosity, which has drawn comparisons to critics like Susan Sontag and John Berger. His critiques often incorporate references to History, Literature, and Philosophy, as well as his own personal experiences and observations. Schjeldahl has been praised for his ability to make complex art historical concepts accessible to a broad audience, as seen in his writings on Impressionism, Pointillism, and Futurism. However, his critiques have also been criticized for being overly subjective and dismissive of certain art movements, such as Conceptual art and Performance art. Despite this, Schjeldahl remains one of the most respected and widely read art critics of his generation, with a career spanning over five decades and including contributions to publications like The New York Review of Books and Harper's Magazine.

● Notable Works and Awards

Throughout his career, Schjeldahl has published numerous collections of poetry and essays, including The New Ceremonial and Let's See, which have been praised for their insight and lyricism. He has also received several awards for his criticism, including the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. Schjeldahl's work has been recognized by institutions like the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation, which have supported his writing and research on topics like American art and European modernism. His notable works include essays on artists like Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, and Gerhard Richter, as well as writings on movements like Pop art and Minimalism.

● Personal Life

Schjeldahl currently lives in New York City with his wife, Brooke Alderson, a writer and editor. He has two children, Ada Schjeldahl and Bruno Schjeldahl, who have also pursued careers in the arts. Schjeldahl is known for his love of Jazz music and Classical music, and has written about the intersection of art and music, referencing composers like Igor Stravinsky and John Cage. He has also been involved in various charitable organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Poets & Writers foundation, which support artists and writers in need. Despite his busy schedule, Schjeldahl continues to write and teach, sharing his knowledge and passion for art with students at institutions like Yale University and Columbia University.