Seaman gets it

After riffling through a compilation of comments on the age-old question “what makes a critic a critic”, Donna Seaman’s sometimes longwinded but always genuine responses seemed to hammer home the true essence of what it means to live, breath and consume like a critic.

“Passion first and foremost,” Seaman answered to Time-Out’s Kris Vire’s question “what qualifies someone to be a critic”. The first word to leave Seaman’s mouth pops up over and over in the ten-page excerpt; passion, it seems, is the key ingredient to Seaman’s approach to critical writing.

Seaman, a book reviewer for several online and print outlets, approaches her opinion pieces with the same vigor and attention to detail that one may find in an author or painter. Throughout the Time-Out piece, Seaman offers to her chat-mates and readers that reviewers should immerse themselves in whatever art form they are attempting to critic. 

“... Passion must lead to discipline and immersion,” Seaman said. “ Expertise is gained from sustained attention.”

Going hand in hand with Seaman’s passionate approach to reviewing is continuous education on the subject matter. The coupling of passion and education yield to the title of expert, a much-needed epitaph for anyone hoping to gain entrance into the critical-elite.

To round out Seaman’s overall approach to writing a review is clarity.

“I’m always hoping for clarity,” She stated. “ The best criticism is rich in unexpected connections.”

Applauded by a fellow reviewer, Seaman’s statement, “criticism is rich in unexpected connections,” floats off the tongue with ease and precisely depicts what Seaman and others hope to gain from reading a review.

Although some agree whole-heartedly with Seaman’s yearning for comparisons others make mention of how some critics can overdo the whole thing. Ultimately Seaman agrees with the “overreaching” of some reviewers but it seems as if her overall opinion of what makes a critic a critic rides on the idea of balance. Seaman looks to strike an equilibrium between what she finds lovely or ugly about a piece and what she wishes were or wasn’t staring her in the face.

“A critic has to be able to imagine many responses, and see the experience in a greater context,” Seaman said. 

If a reviewer has the ability to see a piece from 360 different perspectives they not only formulate their own personal feelings towards a piece of art but they can clearly identify what hits the mark and what leaves a person wondering what the hell was that.