Being There

Malouf has been quietly insisting for 40 years that we pay attention, reconsider, discriminate and learn. Though he argues hard for lightness and play in art, Malouf is the most serious writer at work in this country. The treasures are endless. Every few pages there are lines calling for a standing ovation. Some of these pieces are more lucid than others, more persuasive. None is less than wise.

David Marr, The Monthly

Across the half-century or so spanned by these pieces, whether they deal with art happenings in London during the swinging 60s or the domestic architecture of Glenn Murcutt, Malouf’s critical responses remain extraordinarily stable. This does not mean they are static — rather that, irrespective of the object or event under discussion, the critic brings a consistent and lucidly elaborated set of ideas to bear. His principle, to crudely reduce the rich broth of his thought to a single flavour, is that of delight:

Geordie Williamson, The Australian

Malouf's manner is measured and measuring, quietly or insistently engaging. He invites the reader to listen to, and join in, a conversation in which ideas are floated, worked through and set in diverse contexts, while always alert to the requirement to circle back to, and around, the topic in hand. The common denominator here is the precision of detail, the care with which the essence of the artistic process - communication - is examined. that, and the wide-ranging frames of reference. His analogies, references and varied insights are invariably suggestive and illuminating.

Michael Morley, The Sydney Morning Herald