(not necessarily in this order)

1. In place of a title: artist’s name, name of gallery, dates of exhibition.

2. An overview of the exhibition. If the works are paintings, sculptures, or photographs: a general indication of how many there are, what subject matter they address, and how they are painted (figurative vs.abstract, naturalistic vs. expressionist, geometric vs. gestural). If the work consists of installations: some description of the general theme, materials used, and the disposition of the work in the available gallery spaces.

3. A discussion and analysis of one or two particular works in the exhibition.

4. A discussion of the other works in the exhibition (assuming there are other works), noting how they relate to the work discussed in point 3 (similarities, differences).

5. Comparisons. How does the work in this show compare to earlier work by the same artist? (If you don’t know his or her earlier work, ask the gallery to see their “press book” and read the reviews of previous exhibitions). How does it compare to earlier or contemporary work by other artists? Where does it fit in to the contemporary scene and/or to the history of modern art? Within this broader context, what makes it distinctive (or what makes it unoriginal)?

6. Conclusion. This is essentially a rhetorical device, something that sums up the review in a single phrase, or suggests further lines of interpretation that might be pursued if you had more space. As a rule, it should not be an overall evaluation of the show.

7. Note on rhetoric: explicit evaluation should be used sparingly. Rather than coming right out and saying “this is great” or “this is terrible,” slip in praise and criticism as part of your description. “So-and-so’s powerful canvases are painted with violent strokes of battleship gray and earth brown.” “So-and-so’s installation consists of an unoriginal arrangement of comic books, CD players, and the other familiar detritus of teenage life.” Your own reactions to the work should be similarly disguised as objective statements. “Stepping inside so-and-so’s installation, the viewer [ie. You] experienced a shock of…” Statements like “I was overwhelmed by…” or “Anyone who loves art should see…” should be reserved for very special occasions.