PIRATES AND FARMERS

Arguably one of the most astute critics working today, Dave Hickey's multi-decade career as a leading cultural commentator is charac terised by his blend of high and mass culture and his fervent critique of the celebrity-driven culture of the art world in the 21st century. In his usual humorous manner, Hickey has declared that: I miss being an elitist and not having to talk to idiots in a fie ld that, he believes, is defined by the commoditisation of art and the self-referential tendencies of criticism itself.