Jerry Saltz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jerry Saltz
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| Born | February 19, 1951 Oak Park, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Journalist, Author, Art critic |
| Education | School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
| Period | 1990s–present |
| Notable works | Seeing Out Loud: The Village Voice Art Columns, 1998–2003 Seeing Out Louder |
| Notable awards | Pulitzer Prize for Criticism (2018) |
| Spouse |
Roberta Smith
(m. 1992) |
Jerry Saltz, born on February 19, 1951, is a well-known American art critic. An art critic is someone who looks at art and shares their opinions about it. Since 2006, he has written about art for New York magazine. Before that, he wrote for The Village Voice.
In 2018, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, which is a very important award for writers. He was also nominated for this award in 2001 and 2006. Jerry Saltz has also taught as a visiting critic at famous schools like Columbia University and Yale University. He has received three special honorary degrees from art schools.
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Early Life and Learning About Art
Jerry Saltz was born in Oak Park, Illinois. When he was ten years old, his mother passed away. Soon after, he visited the Art Institute of Chicago. This visit was very special for him.
He realized that "Everything here is telling a story." He wanted to learn the language of art and understand all its stories. From 1970 to 1975, he studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Jerry Saltz's Career in Art
Jerry Saltz started his career working at an art gallery. Then, he helped create N.A.M.E. Gallery, which was run by artists. In 1980, he moved to New York City.
Talking About Art on Facebook
Jerry Saltz uses Facebook a lot to talk with people about art. He often posts questions and ideas to his many followers. He wants to make art criticism easier for artists and everyone else to understand.
His Facebook posts are more relaxed than his articles in New York Magazine. He even shares personal stories there. He once said that being on Facebook with so many people felt like a lively meeting place for artists.
He uses his page to support the use of irony in art. Irony is when art shows something in a way that is different from what it seems. He argues against people he calls the "Purity Police," who think art should always be serious.
- Some Facebook-related Jerry Saltz activity
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Saltz and Bill Clinton pose at an art gallery exhibit opening—side view of the scene long used as the user-avatar on Saltz's official Facebook page
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At the public opening reception of an art exhibit at a gallery in New York City, Saltz (center) is flanked by wife Roberta Smith and artist and Facebook friend Terry Ward.
In 2010, an artist named Jennifer Dalton made an artwork about Jerry Saltz's Facebook page. She looked at five months of his conversations with friends online. Dalton said that Saltz's page showed how much people in the art world want to talk and connect.
In 2010, Saltz asked his Facebook friends for ideas for art studio door signs. Later, someone put all the replies into a book. The book was called JERRY SALTZ ART CRITIC's Fans, Friends, & The Tribes Suggested ART STUDIO DOOR SIGNS of Real Life or Fantasy. In 2015, Jerry Saltz was briefly unable to post on Facebook. This happened after some users complained about his posts.
Being a TV Art Judge
Jerry Saltz was a judge on the Bravo TV show Work of Art: The Next Great Artist. This show ran from 2010 to 2011.
Books by Jerry Saltz
Jerry Saltz has written several books about art:
- Seeing Out Loud: The Village Voice Art Columns, 1998–2003 (2003)
- Seeing Out Louder (2009)
- Beyond Boundaries: New York's New Art (1986)
- How to Be an Artist (2020)
- Art is Life (2022)
Awards and Honors
Jerry Saltz won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 2018. He was also a finalist for this award in 2001 and 2006. He has received three special honorary degrees. These include degrees from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2008 and Kansas City Art Institute in 2011.
Personal Life
Jerry Saltz lives in New York City with his wife, Roberta Smith. She is also a chief art critic for New York Times. They got married in 1992. Jerry Saltz is Jewish.
