New York's new art season got off to a rousing start a few weeks ago when more than 80 exhibitions opened within 10 days. I was raring to go, but ended up more disappointed than not. Last month, I wrote that the New York art world had turned into a "giant sponge"—it sucks things up, including, it turns out, energy. Good exhibitions and bad are absorbed and rendered more or less equal. Almost everyone in the art world has passionate opinions—they like this or loathe that—yet these peppery tête-à-têtes often go wishy-washy in print. Art criticism ought to be at least as lively as the conversations you have in galleries, at parties, or on the phone. Consequently, think of this as an e-mail, hopefully not too superficial or snarky, or a message on your answering machine from a touchy friend who's been to galleries... More >>>