Lynne Tillman celebrated the publication of her new collection, *Paying Attention: Essays on Art and Culture*, from David Zwirner Books, at an event hosted by Coco’s at Colette. The article features a conversation between Tillman and the author, in which she discusses her origin story as a critic, her background in fiction writing, and her unconventional entry into art criticism through an invitation from Craig Owens at *Art in America*. She recounts writing a Madame Realism story about a Renoir exhibition after eavesdropping on museum tours, a piece that angered some art historians.
This article matters because it highlights the enduring value of experimental, cross-genre art criticism and the role of writers like Tillman who bring a fiction writer’s sensibility to visual art analysis. It also underscores the importance of feminist perspectives in art history, as Tillman’s Madame Realism character was conceived as a riposte to Surrealism’s patriarchal bent. The piece serves as a model for how critics can find freedom and innovation by stepping outside traditional academic boundaries.