"Jerry Saltz, Savvy Critic, Declines Town’s Curatorial Challenge"

The NYC based art critic Jerry Saltz recently mocked, chastised and even challenged Canadian reporter and CBS News correspondent Morley Safer over a segment he did for 60 Minutes in which Safer quite accurately criticized Art Basel Miami Beach. Objective art world insiders (if there are any), would find that the Saltz article was pretentious, rife with double standards and embarrassingly elitist. This attack piece seemed to insinuate between the lines that only the initiated have the authority to gripe about this “endemic stuff we all know about and dislike”.  Ultimately, The challenge to Safer was essentially to curate a public New York show of 25 to 35 contemporary artists of which Mr. Saltz would then review. Saltz offered this challenge to Glenn Beck a while back as well. Of course Mr. Safer respectfully declined the offer to the glee of hundreds of Saltz Facebook followers and what ensued was a continual barrage of mocking insults aimed at Safer from Jerry's camp. A victory for the “art-club” so to speak. Mr. Morley Safer was “Saltzed” good and proper and labeled a coward for not taking the challenge…case closed right? Not so fast! The way I see it is that this whole thing is less about Morley Safer's personal work or his "harmless" criticism piece geared to the uninitiated and more about Jerry choosing an easy target to flex his muscles and piggyback for promo.

 Now, seeing as this was such a lopsided victory I decided to turn the tables and extend to Saltz the same challenge he tossed around twice already. After all, he is a long standing art critic so who would be better suited to pull off a show like this?…it would be big, REAL big! And of course I would review the work and foot the entire bill…this was a serious offer and I was ready and able to make it happen. This challenge was posted to Saltz’s Facebook page…and the wait was on…

As was expected Mr. Saltz declined to step up to the plate and accept my very real curatorial challenge; the very same challenge he used against Safer and Beck. What gives? Well, what gives is that this is yet another example of good old fashioned lip service and double standard from a well-healed bully and I’m willing to bet we will not be hearing any of Saltz’s cronies calling him a coward anytime soon either. What is good for the goose is still, as always not good for the gander. Sad thing is, people won’t be able to glean these tidbits on Vulture.com…or even 60 Minutes for that matter. Nor will you find the full exchange on Saltz’s FB page because as it turns out Jerry thought twice and removed some of the response sections of our showdown from his page the following day. Now why would this proponent of transparency and democracy selectively hide seemingly harmless content from his followers? Your guess is as good as mine...talk about self-editing. But all jokes aside, the implications of this little act are actually quite disturbing; those two little deletes - that in essence admit to the decline of a challenge - speak volumes. If a critic is willing to bury content to save face in this small instance just imagine what that same critic might do within the larger picture...the devil is always in the details.

See the full Town vs Saltz exchange below:

[Jerry Saltz to Morley Safer: Morley, I challenge you to curate a public New York show of 25 to 35 contemporary artists — those who have emerged since, say, 1985 — whose work you really approve of, plus a few examples of your own art. I promise to review it, fair and square. Deal?]

Justin Town- I will take this further by suggesting that Mr. Saltz show some balls and originality (as this is his second identical challenge; the first being made to Glenn Beck a while back) and take up my challenge:
Saltz, I challenge you  to curate a public New York show of 25 to 35 contemporary artists — those who have emerged since, say, 1985 — whose work you really approve of, plus a few examples of your own art. I promise to review it, fair and square. Deal? ...seeing as "we're all doing this filtering together"

Justin Town- … This is less about Morley Safer's personal work and a criticism piece geared to the uninitiated and more about Jerry choosing an easy target to flex his muscles and piggyback for promo. My challenge remains unanswered. I will cover all costs of this proposed show as well...press included. Hear that Mr. Saltz...now kindly put your money where your mouth is (money being time and expertise that is) oh, and don't forget...you must provide some of your work you ex-artist you.
... for the record, I could care less about MS, his work or his criticism outside of this context.

Jerry Saltz- Justin: Thank you for coming onto my fb to comment about me and my work.
If you want to know what I like read me; read both my books; cull from what I write here and in my columns and my books.
I don't mind if you select 25-35 artists from those. I guess that's my show.

-- Now, which 25-35 artists - emerged since 1985 - would YOU say are very good?
I would love to know.

Justin Town- I don't answer the test questions remember. The ball is in your court here

Justin Town- Lets do this thing Jerry, it's bigger than the both of us...

Justin Town- I know who you have "written" about so to refer me to past books or articles is a bit lame my friend. Let's do the here and now! This is about the challenge that you have extended to two different persons already that I am extending to you and I am as serious as a heart attack...and I think you know it. This will not be whittled down to a facebook Q & A. It's on you... Let's get it on!

[deleted] Jerry Saltz- Justin. Thank you.
I guess I don't answer the test questions either.

Justin Town- just what I thought...till next time friendo

[deleted] Jerry Saltz- Ditto ...



"Jerry Saltz on Morely Safer's Facile 60 MinutesArt-World Screed" Vulture article: http://www.vulture.com/2012/04/jerry-saltz-on-morley-safer-60-minutes-art-world.html
"Morley Safer, Sunday Painter, Declines Saltz's Curatorial Challenge" GalleristNY article: http://www.galleristny.com/2012/04/safer-declines-curatorial-challenge/

"Art Critic Jerry Saltz and the Challenge Facing the Main Stream Art World"
 by Brian Sherwin:  http://faso.com/fineartviews/42391/art-critic-jerry-saltz-and-the-challenge-facing-the-mainstream-art-world