The documentary *House of Criticism* (2026), directed by Alison Chernick, had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. It offers an intimate portrait of married art critics Jerry Saltz and Roberta Smith, following their daily routines, private lives, and the dynamics of their relationship built around art criticism. The film traces their formative experiences—Smith's upbringing in Kansas and work with Donald Judd, Saltz's childhood trauma and path from art student to writer—and captures their contrasting writing styles and personal vulnerabilities, including Smith's retirement from *The New York Times* in 2024.
This documentary matters because it humanizes two of the most influential figures in contemporary American art criticism at a moment when the profession is becoming increasingly rare in journalism. By focusing on their private lives and the personal histories that shaped their critical voices, the film underscores the changing landscape of art writing and the enduring importance of deep, thoughtful engagement with art. It also offers rare insight into how a married couple navigates parallel careers in a solitary field, making it a significant cultural document for the art world.