Jerry Saltz

Jerry Saltz – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Jerry Saltz (born 1951) is a leading American art critic, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and author known for his candid voice, accessible writing, and influence in contemporary art. Explore his life, philosophy, key works, and memorable quotes here.

Introduction

Jerry Saltz is one of the most influential and widely read art critics in the United States today. Born in 1951, he has earned a reputation not only for his sharp critical insight but also for communicating about contemporary art in a way that is engaging, personal, and often humorous. As senior art critic for New York magazine and its website Vulture, Saltz has shaped public conversations about art, bridging the gap between the art world and broader audiences. His writings, lectures, social media engagement, and public presence make him a uniquely visible figure among art critics of his generation.

Early Life and Family

Jerry Saltz was born on February 19, 1951 in Oak Park, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago).

His early life was marked by both exposure to art and personal challenges. His mother died when he was ten, a traumatic event that he has reflected upon in discussions of his inner life.

A formative moment for him occurred in childhood: visiting the Art Institute of Chicago. He later recalled that the museum struck him with a sense that “everything here is telling a story … has a language” — a moment that helped awaken his lifelong passion for reading art’s visual language.

Saltz later attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) beginning in 1970.

Youth, Early Interests & Turning Points

From his teenage years, Saltz was drawn to art—not just as a spectator but as someone seeking to engage. He was fascinated by visionary and “mystical” works (such as Native American sand paintings, Oceanic art, and Scandinavian spiritual art) that seemed to do more than just “look good.”

In his early adulthood, Saltz attempted to pursue a career as an artist. He co-founded N.A.M.E. Gallery in Chicago with Barry Holden and other artists, organizing exhibitions and mounting work.

At one point, Saltz even worked as a long-haul truck driver, shuttling art and furniture across distances, before turning more fully to writing about art.

In 1980, Saltz moved to New York City, aiming to situate himself at the heart of the contemporary art world.

Career and Achievements

From Writer to Critic

Saltz’s entry into published criticism came gradually. His first paid writing assignment was a column in Arts Magazine devoted to one work of art per issue. Art in America and other art journals, experimenting with tone, voice, and approach.

His more public breakthrough came with The Village Voice, where he became senior art critic and columnist (writing Seeing Out Loud) from around 1998 to 2003. Seeing Out Loud: The Village Voice Art Columns, 1998–2003.

In 2006 (some sources say 2007), Saltz joined New York Magazine as senior art critic and columnist, writing for its print and online editions (particularly Vulture).

Major Works & Publications

Key published works by Saltz include:

• Seeing Out Loud: The Village Voice Art Columns, 1998–2003 (collection of his Voice essays)

• Seeing Out Louder (2009)

• How to Be an Artist (2020)

• Art Is Life: Icons and Iconoclasts, Visionaries and Vigilantes, and Flashes of Hope in the Night (2022)

He also contributes essays, reviews, cover stories, and shorter commentaries on contemporary exhibitions across a wide range of publications.

Saltz has held visiting critic or lecturer positions at various institutions, including the School of Visual Arts, Columbia, Yale, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and others.

He also served as the sole advisor to the 1995 Whitney Biennial.

Furthermore, he has made occasional television appearances. Notably, he was a judge on the Bravo series Work of Art: The Next Great Artist (2010–2011).

Recognition & Influence

Saltz has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 2001 and 2006 (while at The Village Voice) and went on to win the Pulitzer in 2018 for his criticism at New York magazine.

He also won the Frank Jewett Mather Award for art criticism in 2007 (from the College Art Association).

Saltz is the recipient of three honorary doctorates, including from his alma mater, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2008), and from the Kansas City Art Institute (2011).

His public presence is significant: he is active on social media (especially Facebook) and uses his platform to provoke discussion about art, demystify criticism, and engage directly with readers and artists.

ArtReview once listed him among the most powerful people in the art world.

Saltz is often praised for bringing an informal, conversational tone to art criticism—rejecting elitist postures in favor of clarity, personal voice, and accessibility.

Historical & Cultural Context

Saltz’s career unfolded during a period in which the art world was grappling with both globalization and digital transformation. The late 20th and early 21st centuries saw:

• A proliferation of contemporary art fairs, biennials, and market speculation.

• Expanding access to art via photography, digital media, and social platforms.

• Shifting notions of who "counts" as an artist, with greater inclusion of marginalized voices, nontraditional media, and interdisciplinary practices.

• A demand for critics who could translate complex theory and institutional discourse into language accessible to broader audiences.

In this shifting environment, Saltz positioned himself not as a distant arbiter but as someone who “speaks art to people.” He often writes not just for other critics or specialists but for artists, collectors, and interested general readers.

His embrace of social media as a site of critical dialogue underscores how art criticism has had to evolve—from print and gallery walls to feeds, comments, and participatory audiences.

Furthermore, Saltz’s voice challenges traditional hierarchies in art—he often questions “art world fetishism,” youth obsession, hype, and exclusivity. In doing so, he reflects broader critiques of status, power, and gatekeeping in the arts.

Legacy and Influence

While still active, Saltz’s influence is already notable:

• He has helped shape how art criticism is practiced in the digital age—less academic distance, more immediacy, more transparency.

• Many artists and readers find his voice approachable and inspiring: he encourages engagement, curiosity, and emotional investment in art.

• His writing has introduced many non-specialists to contemporary art or helped them see artworks with new eyes.

• In some respects, Saltz has altered the image of the art critic—from detached expert to interlocutor, advocate, provocateur, and teacher.

• His emphasis on voice, honesty, and the personal dimension of criticism has influenced other writers and critics to embrace more openness and less opacity in art discourse.

As the art world continues to evolve, Saltz’s model—blending serious critical rigor with accessibility, engagement, and a sense of mission—remains a benchmark for what modern criticism can achieve.

Personality, Style & Approach

Jerry Saltz is often described as candid, irreverent, generous, and humorous. His writing style mixes personal anecdote, vivid description, and strong judgments. He is not afraid of blunt appraisals.

He speaks with a kind of urgency—and sometimes self-confession—about the pressures of being a critic, the internal “demons” of doubt, and the need for continual recharging and observation.

Despite his public persona, Saltz has said he does not see himself as “part of the social world.” He often avoids private collections, preferring to view art in galleries and museums, and to let the work speak without extra commentary.

He has described his writing life as disciplined: waking up early, staying at his desk, immersing himself in shows and critique, resisting distractions.

Saltz also has a deep appreciation for the emotional, mystical, or visionary side of art. He is drawn to works that convey states of being, inner urgency, or transcendent weight.

Famous Quotes by Jerry Saltz

Here are several noteworthy statements from Saltz that reveal something of his outlook:

• “Art is for anyone. It just isn’t for everyone. Still, over the past decade, its audience has hugely grown, and that’s irked those outside the art world.”

• “Art is two parts agency and one part inner heat. The artist loves going down rabbit holes, working toward and against something at the same time.”

• “I don’t look for skill in art. Skill has nothing to do with technical proficiency. I’m interested in people who rethink skill, who redefine or reimagine it.”

• “To this day I wake up early and I have to get to my desk to write almost immediately … I mean fast. Before the demons get me.”

• “It’s going to have to be pretty good to get by me.” (He borrowed the metaphor “goalie” from artist Peter Plagens.)

These statements reflect Saltz’s belief in art as a lived, generative endeavor—not mere decoration, but a site of questioning, risk, and personal voice.

Lessons from Jerry Saltz

1. Write with your own voice
   Saltz repeatedly emphasizes that honesty, clarity, and personal voice matter more than overly academic distancing or jargon.

2. See broadly, beyond the canon
   He values art that challenges, surprises, or rethinks categories, not just what’s already accepted or safe.

3. Be disciplined and relentless
   His productivity and consistency—writing, going to shows, pushing boundaries—show the value of commitment.

4. Make criticism accessible, not exclusive
   He demonstrates that one can be serious and rigorous while also welcoming non-experts into the conversation.

5. Embrace doubt and re-evaluation
   Saltz views criticism as a living, evolving practice. He doesn’t cling rigidly to early positions but is open to change, critique, and self-interrogation.

Conclusion

Jerry Saltz stands as a powerful exemplar of what contemporary art criticism can be: engaged, rigorous, personal, and public. He has reshaped the role of the critic in the 21st century, making it more visible, more interactive, and more human. His work invites us not only to see art but to feel, question, and converse with it.