hm...

I laughed when I read that article from the Guardian about whether or not critics have any influence over the art world. It reminded me of Sewell and that piece I wrote in which I said his angry remarks about certain artists were 'largely ineffective'.
So is it true? Do art critics no longer make a difference? I think they still do, just not in the way the article talks about. They can act as an aid to the public in understanding what they are looking at when faced with art. Not only that, but of course they help people decide which exhibition to go and see. They just have no influence over what is shown or bought, that is the job of the curator and buyer.
There's no crisis, surely things are as they have been for some time now? Though I doubt very much Brian Sewell is happy being considered 'pointless' when that's what he's based his career on..