About
AICA-USA is the United States section of the Association Internationale des Critiques d'Art (hence our acronym), which was founded in 1950 in Paris to revive the critical discourse that had suffered under fascism and the Second World War and to develop international co-operation in the fields of artistic creation and cultural development. At present there are 63 member nations representing more than 5,000 art critics. Headquartered in New York, AICA-USA is one of the association's largest national sections with over 500 distinguished critics, curators, scholars, and art historians working throughout the United States.
AICA's membership card is recognized for entrance to museums around the world. Members are invited to attend the annual AICA International Congress, hosted each year by a different member nation, and the AICA-USA annual meeting, held every year in May.
Each year, we present the AICA-USA Distinguished Critic Lecture in partnership with The New School’s Vera List Center for Art and Politics. In 2020, the Irving Sandler Award for New Voices in Art Criticism was launched as a continuation of AICA-USA’s dedication to young critics and excellence in art writing.
We previously have provided mentorship programs for emerging art critics in partnership with the The Creative Capital | Andy Warhol Foundation Art Writers Grant Program and the Cue Art Foundation.
Incorporated in 1982 and based in New York CIty, AICA-USA is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
New York Public Library’s Manuscript and Archives Division maintains a comprehensive holding of AICA-USA archives consisting of correspondences and records between 1968 and 2006.
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History
1948
The First International Congress of Art Critics took place at the Paris headquarters of UNESCO between June 21 and June 28 of 1948. The aim of congress participants was to compare their point of views concerning the vocation of art criticism, to consider their responsibility to both artists and the public, and to outline the particular nature of their contributions to developments in the field of art history.
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Preliminary program of the 1948 International Congress
1949
The Second International Congress of Art Critics took place in Paris between June 27 and July 3, 1949 and resulted in the official creation of l'Association Internationale des Critiques d'Art the following year.
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French art critic Paul Fierens was named the first president of AICA
1951
AICA is admitted to the rank of non-governmental organization.
1983
The first AICA-USA national conference titled American Criticism Now was held February 14–15 at the New York Cultural Center in New York City.
During this same year, under the presidency of David Bourdon, AICA-USA gains 501(c)3 status.
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Left - Newspaper listing for the AICA National Conference
Right - Press release for the AICA National Conference
1991
The 25th AICA International Congress is held in Los Angeles. The Congress theme is Art, Politics and Multiculturalism.
2003
AICA International redefines its main objectives as the following
to promote art criticism as a discipline and contribute to its methodology
to protect the ethical and professional interests of its members and co-operate in defending their rights
to maintain an active international network for its members, with the aid of available technologies and encouragement of face-to-face encounters
to contribute to mutual understanding of visual arts and aesthetics in all cultures
to stimulate professional relationship across political, geographical, ethnic, economic and religious boundaries
to defend impartially freedom of expression and thought and oppose arbitrary censorship
2007
AICA-USA initiates the annual Distinguished Critic Lecture at The New School in collaboration with the Vera List Center for Art and Politics.