Periodic presentation of work to fellow students and faculty through program group critiques, augmented by individual discussions with the Artist-in-Residence, develops critical evaluation skills. Most programs engage in weekly critiques, while others critique on an alternate schedule. Critiques are scheduled periodically with visiting artists and through informal crit clubs as well.
Critiques/Reviews
Critiques
Critique at Cranbrook is directed toward helping students understand the critical context in which they are operating and how to respond meaningfully to it.
Critiques
Critique at Cranbrook is directed toward helping students understand the critical context in which they are operating and how to respond meaningfully to it.
Emily Alexia (MFA Graphic Design 2026) presents during critique, 2025. Photo by Jaber Alsabah
Ruiqi Liu (MFA Ceramics 2026) during First Year Reviews. Photo by Sarah C. Blanchette
Midge Wattles (MFA Ceramics 2026) during First Year Reviews. Photo by Sarah C. Blanchette.
Sam Slipkovich (MFA Painting 2024) during Second Year Reviews. Photo by Sarah C. Blanchette.
Jose Rosales' (Graphic Design 2027) studio during First Year Reviews, 2025-2026 Academic Year. Photo by Danielle deo Owensby
Each year in Fall and Spring, one week is set aside for a schedule of particularly rigorous critiques called Reviews.
Unlike the weekly departmental critique process, during Reviews each student meets with Artists-in-Residence from across the Academy, and thus from across multiple disciplines, to discuss his or her work. In the Fall semester, all second-year students prepare a body of work for review, followed in the Spring semester by the first-year students. There are many goals in this process, but chief among them is for students to gain critical feedback on their specific developmental trajectory from a variety of disciplinary and critical viewpoints at a very high level. This process is a significant component of the Academy’s structure, one that encourages a rich trans-disciplinary conversation.
