Commission

Commission

An art commission is when an individual or institution requests that an artist make an artwork especially for them.

In art, a commission refers to the formal act of requesting the creation of a specific piece, usually done on behalf of another party. This practice extends across various domains, including private individuals, governmental bodies, and businesses. These types of commissions bear similarities to endorsements or sponsorships, as they involve a deliberate arrangement where an artist is entrusted with the task of crafting a work to meet particular specifications or desires. This collaborative process allows for the realisation of customised and bespoke artworks that cater to the unique visions and preferences of the commissioning party.

15 results found for "Commission"

article

Ai Weiwei – Everyone is a dragon

It's the year of the dragon. Dragons wield godlike power in myths and folklore, but Ai Weiwei insists that everyone is a dragon. Here's why.

Ai Weiwei – Everyone is a dragon
essay

Meet the artists shaping the future of tarot

The humble yet powerful tarot card has inspired artists for centuries. Today, tarot is more popular than ever, so we take a look at its long history and the creatives celebrating it now. Along the way, we speak to two of our favourite artists and tarot creators, Claire Yurika Davis and Marcella Kroll.

Meet the artists shaping the future of tarot
video

Cai Guo-Qiang – Explosive serenity

Explosive serenity is the paradox at play in Snow Lotus, a new collaboration with Cai Guo-Qiang. Hear his reflections on reflections, and discover the printmaking processes involved in transforming one of his gunpowder paintings into a limited edition print.

Cai Guo-Qiang – Explosive serenity
essay

Bridging the gap: how 50 years of hip-hop has changed the artworld

This is the story all about how hip-hop and art have propelled each other to global domination. From graffiti on the streets of the Bronx to record breaking auction results, hip-hop giants continue to make waves in the artworld.

Bridging the gap: how 50 years of hip-hop has changed the artworld
video

Kehinde Wiley

Kehinde Wiley, born in 1977 in Los Angeles, is a prominent American artist acclaimed for his vibrant and reimagined portraits that fuse contemporary subjects with classical European painting styles.

Kehinde Wiley
essay

Is racism the price we pay for representation?

Tschabalala Self’s sculpture was vandalised by racists who painted her skin white – symbolically erasing exactly what it was intended to represent.

Is racism the price we pay for representation?
interview

Gemma Rolls-Bentley's Collection

For Gemma Rolls-Bentley, collecting begins with understanding your own values and what you represent. As a curator and creative consultant, this is how she approaches her own collection as well as those she builds for others – guided by the idea that art should hold real meaning for those who spend time with it. The art that fills her South London home is a reflection of the queer family she is creating with her wife, poet and dementia specialist, Danielle Wilde.

Gemma Rolls-Bentley's Collection
article

Sensory Inspiration

The origin story for a new collaboration with New York legend José Parlá got us thinking about some of the unexpected places where artists find their art.

Sensory Inspiration
article

Butt plugs, Santa Claus & Paul McCarthy

"A joke, but serious."

Butt plugs, Santa Claus & Paul McCarthy
video

Cai Guo-Qiang

What do you know about the art of blowing things up? Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang has been doing it for fifty years…

Cai Guo-Qiang
video

Tschabalala Self in London

We all do it, but what does it mean to sit?

Tschabalala Self in London
interview

In conversation: Tyler Hobbs

"Can I write a program that creates a painting?"

In conversation: Tyler Hobbs
Artist

Christine Wong Yap

Christine Wong Yap was born in 1977 in California's San Francisco Bay, where she has recently relocated after a decade spent living and working in Queens, New York.

Christine Wong Yap
Artist

Elliot Dodd

Elliot Dodd was born in 1978 in Jersey, Channel Islands, and now works and lives in London.

Elliot Dodd

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    Your questions, answered

    Parra's studio, with Parra at the centre, his back to the camera as he works on the large painting takes centre stage, showing a faceless blue woman in a striped dress, painted in red, purple, blue and teal. The studio is full of brightly coloured paints, with a large window on the right and a patterned rug across the floor under the painting.