(4 of 4)
Arlene Croce's honest and courageous stance comes at an opportune time. Many artists today tend to capitalize on and exploit human tragedy. The practice has achieved its ultimate misuse in Benetton ads with images of misery, war, sickness and death--ads that have caused a justifiable uproar among German customers. Too often I find myself considering the possibility that as a spectator I might be the victim not only of a performing artist's cynical insincerity but also of a critic afraid to criticize a work because its content is intended to evoke empathy.
Patricia Collier Rahway, New Jersey