[vincent_richter]

If an artist cannot handle negative commentary, or what they perceive as negative commentary, they should stay far away from the art world which hosts "patrons" who have said far, FAR worse about FAR more innocuous things. Roger Ebert's stance on North comes immediately to mind. The point being, many viewers want to see an artist at their best, and have little patience for the delicate flowers who think everything they do is God's gift to mankind - even less so with the advent of the Internet.

On the other hand, I can see the artist's stance, too; they're trying new things, and as any scientist can tell you, the newer methods don't always work. Long story short: if you're going to comment on a particular artwork, first review the caliber and direction of other commentary. If there's a discernible slant, don't bother posting if you're going to challenge it; odds are, the artist is experimenting, and anything other than "what a resounding success!" will be seen as anathema in their eyes.