Meet Sebastian Smee, a Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic, who discusses his new book Paris in Ruins, its historical context, and the challenges of writing it. He also touches upon his previous book The Art of Rivalry, how to approach writing art criticism, and tips for aspiring writers. Sebastian now writes for The Washington Post, but got his start writing for The Sydney Morning Herald. He then went on to write for The Boston Globe, The Spectator, The Guardian, The Australian and more.
00:00 Introduction 02:35 Nat Newman’s writing tip 10:28 Win Endgame by Sarah Barrie 12:44 Word of the week: Hypnagogic 16:47 Interview with Sebastian Smee 20:27 Diving into historical context 20:59 Early career and education 21:49 Breaking into art criticism 23:55 Writing art reviews 25:50 Journey to America 27:34 The Art of Rivalry 31:02 Crafting Paris in Ruins 38:30 Challenges and reflections 42:21 Advice for aspiring art critics 47:57 Final thoughts
Born in 1972 in Adelaide, Sebastian Smee is now a Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic at the Washington Post. He has written widely about art, and is the author of The Art of Rivalry: Four Friendships, Betrayals, and Breakthroughs in Modern Art. He lives in Boston.
