The dress of thought: Form and style in contemporary art writing

‘The dress of thought’ is a consideration of recent developments in the style and form of art writing, looking specifically at narrative and experimental modes of writing that operate as ‘criticism in the expanded field’. This article seeks to define, map and navigate paraliterary forms of art writing, countering frequent assertions that such writing is uncritical or apolitical. In arguing for style and form as essential critical vehicles through which judgement, reference and evaluation can be inferred, I contend that these approaches represent a subversive reappraisal of the role and function of critics and criticism.