I really liked how Look Again! opened with a broad definition of a theory. A term that is so common in our everyday language, that maybe we take its meaning and significance for granted sometimes. Additionally, D’Alleva goes into more detail when discussing critical theories which can be used to further research into disciplines like feminism for example. I thought it was especially interesting that D’Alleva stressed the importance of ignoring a ‘canon’ of critical theory. This allows for individuals to engage with a theory in their own way, and not get stuck with the same ideas and lines of research as everyone else.
In Art History Concepts and Research Methods last spring, I dedicated the semester to researching the Western canon of art history. I learned how detrimental it can be to have a canon that excludes so much that it allows for so many great works of art, artists, and literature to slip through the cracks. Women were never considered to be ‘great artists’ and as a result, were largely left out of the narrative. It was Linda Nochlin who shattered the standards behind the western canon of art, and changed art history for the better. She argued that instead of just trying to find great women artists, we need to question and challenge the reasons as to why there haven’t been many female artists at all throughout history. It’s not that women aren’t ‘great’ artists, there just haven’t been any female artists to begin with. As a result, women were largely left out of the canon of art history, which allows them to be easily overlooked. By challenging existing canons, and thinking outside the box, we can pursue topics that are more personal and specific to what we are actually interested in, instead of just following the mainstream discourse.