In a small but provocative book, What Happened to Art Criticism? James Elkins presents a wide array of evidence suggesting that “Art criticism is in worldwide crisis.”1 Is the crisis really worldwide? At least in China, the case is different. Elkins’ book was published in 2003, when art criticism in China had just start- ed to thrive. The first China Annual Art Critics Assembly was held in 2007. The China Literature and Art Critics Association was founded even later in 2014. Why do Chinese art critics set up these organizations while world art criticism is in crisis? What are their purposes? To withstand the crisis or to meet prosper- ity? What happened to art criticism in China?
