The Painted Word

Wolfe's essay ridicules the wide-spread influence of a few elite art critics upon contemporary art. Wolfe contends that someday their theories will be regarded as the works of art and the paintings and sculptures as illustrations of them. In this reading Harold N. Cropp shows considerable artistry. He conveys erudition while maintaining a youthful, hip vivacity. Cropp may be too restrained to consistently capture Wolfe's relentless, derisive edge, but he does give the presentation the proper cynical slant and moves it along crisply. D.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine