krytyce

Krytyce is the practice and discourse of evaluating, interpreting, and discussing artistic and cultural works, as well as social and political phenomena. In Polish, krytyka is the noun, while krytyce is the locative form used when speaking of this field, for example w krytyce literackiej or w krytyce filmowej. The scope includes literary criticism, film and theatre criticism, visual arts criticism, music criticism, and, more recently, media and cultural criticism. Critics combine close reading or close looking with contextual analysis, drawing on theories from formalism, structuralism, post-structuralism, and various schools such as Marxist, feminist, psychoanalytic, or postcolonial approaches. The aim is to illuminate how works make meaning, assess their craft and impact, and situate them within historical and cultural conversations.

Practices vary by medium but commonly involve analysis of form, style, theme, and reception; assessment of originality, significance, and craft; and evaluation of the work's relevance to audiences. Critics publish in newspapers, journals, magazines, books, and increasingly online platforms, podcasts, and broadcast media. The discipline has a long history—from classical rhetorical and textual criticism in antiquity to modern theories that explore power, ideology, and audience interpretation. Ethical standards emphasize accuracy, transparency about sources and biases, and fairness in representation. Krytyce thus functions as both a professional activity and a field of study that shapes how culture is understood and valued.