Artist's Artist

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Insightful?

Discover icons past and present in one minute profiles of artists’ favourite artists.

They were brilliant women, quite out of the ordinary, and were quite obviously lesbians.

“Que me veux-tu?”, 1928

Masculine? Feminine? It depends on the situation. Neuter is the only gender that suits me.

Untitled (Claude Cahun in Le Mystère d’Adam), 1929

Untitled, 1927

Claude Cahun as Elle in Barbe bleue, 1929

Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore

Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore met as teenagers and stayed together for the rest of their lives. They were collaborators, step-siblings and lovers and they both changed their birth names to make them gender neutral.

   Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore

I want to have power. It’s effective in terms of change. I want to be like a virus that belongs to the institution.

“Untitled” (Para Un Hombre En Uniforme), 1991

“Untitled” (Perfect Lovers), 1987–90

“Untitled” (Go-Go Dancing Platform), 1991

“Untitled” (Last Light), 1993

Felix Gonzalez-Torres

Cuban-American artist Félix González-Torres wanted to infiltrate the way people think and act – quietly but effectively.

Black Place, Grey and Pink, 1949

This depiction of the entire region as empty really helped to promote what you’re describing as this space for people to just move right in, a place that is unoccupied, which is of course not true.

Series I White & Blue Flower Shapes, 1919

Autumn Trees - The Maple, 1924

Abstraction, 1945

Georgia O'Keefe

Georgia O’Keeffe was a pioneer of American Modernism. Her sensual paintings, from the early 1900s to her death in 1986, reflect the promise and pitfalls of the 20th Century. 

Georgia O’Keeffe

Misty and Jimmy Paulette in a taxi, 1991

Greer and Robert on the bed, NYC, 1982

Gotscho kissing Gilles, Paris, 1993

Misty in Sheridan Square, NYC, 1991

Nan Goldin

This iconic photographer captured day-to-day queer life in the 1980s. In 2022, he became the talk of the art world after the release of the documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed. In this Artist's Artist, we take a look at her backstory.

That's immediately how I gauge how healthy a city is, by the amount of tags. It's in direct competition with advertising. It's still one of the last things that I feel like hasn't been corrupted.

It's kind of dirty, kind of broken. It's basically the whole mess of it that makes it work.

Barry McGee tagging in San Francisco as Twist, 2000

Barry McGee, Untitled (Crawling Man), 1999/2012

Untitled 2013

I'm wary of this idea that you have to get bigger exposure, bigger audiences. It's all bullshit to me. What's so great about that?

Untitled, 1998

Barry McGee

This iconic artist has been doing graffiti for over 40 years. World-class museums and galleries revere his work, but he’s never stopped tagging the streets.

Due to trade, the 17th century saw significant exchanges of artistic objects and the worldwide dissemination of artistic styles.

This was made possible through the involvement of British and Dutch trading companies in South Asia, the trade routes established by the Ottoman Empire, and the administration of South America by the Spanish, among other channels. During this period, China, Japan, and Korea all witnessed significant economic growth and artistic achievements. While Chinese goods were widely traded in the global market, Japan maintained a closed economy.

In Europe during the 17th century, there was a diverse range of artistic production, often loosely categorised as "Baroque." This term generally refers to art characterised by a heightened sense of movement and lighting in compositions. Caravaggio is credited with mastering these elements, influencing artists across Europe, including Diego Velázquez in Spain and Rembrandt in Holland.

17th-Century Arts

1980s art was marked by a wide range of artistic styles, including neo-expressionism, abstract paintings, and installation and performance artists.

In the 1980s, there was a departure from the minimalistic and intellectual art of the previous decade. Instead, artists explored various forms like painting, photography, graffiti, and sculpture. The era also saw a rise in conservative values as a reaction to the radical counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s. The booming economy led to a revived art market, bringing Neo-Expressionist painting, notably by artists like Julian Schnabel and Anselm Kiefer, into the spotlight in New York City, Italy, and Germany.

1980s Art

20th century art embraced the new era by departing from realistic representation and traditional ideas, leading to various abstract styles.

In the 20th century, the art world embarked on a journey that fully embraced the novelty and dynamism of a rapidly changing era. This period saw a resounding rejection of conventional notions of realistic representation and traditional aesthetic norms. Instead, it gave rise to a multitude of innovative styles within the realm of Abstract Expressionism, among which Cubism emerged as the most prominent and profoundly influential.

Cubism, in particular, revolutionised the way artists perceived and represented the world around them. Pioneered by figures like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, this avant-garde movement shattered the boundaries of traditional artistic expression. It deconstructed objects and forms into geometric shapes and facets, presenting a multifaceted view of reality. Through the dissection of subjects into a kaleidoscope of angles and viewpoints, Cubism challenged viewers to engage with art in a wholly novel and intellectually stimulating manner.

The impact of Cubism extended far beyond the canvas, influencing not only the visual arts but also architecture, literature, and even the way society viewed the world. It marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of artistic thought, setting the stage for the diverse and ever-evolving artistic landscape of the 20th century. Cubism's legacy endures as a testament to the boundless potential of human creativity and the transformative power of art to capture the essence of an era in flux.

20th century art

Abstract art doesn't try to show things as they appear in reality – it uses shapes, colours, forms, and gestures to create its impact.

Abstract literally means to separate or isolate something from something else, and it's been a central part of modern art since the early 1900s.. This term is used in art to describe works based on objects, figures, or landscapes that have been simplified or stylised, while it's also used for art that uses forms like geometric shapes or expressive marks that have no direct reference to external reality. Some artists who work in this 'pure' abstract style may use terms like concrete art or non-objective art, but in practice, abstract is the commonly used term, and the distinction between the two isn't always clear.

Abstract Art

Abstract illusionism is commonly associated with the decorative designs found in Baroque art, particularly in building ornamentation.

The works were mainly influenced by expressionistic and hard-edge abstract painting styles. They also incorporated elements like perspective, artificial lighting, and fake cast shadows to create the impression of 3D space on a flat surface. Abstract illusionism was distinct from traditional Trompe-l'œil (fool the eye) art because it made the picture space appear to come out of or extend away from the canvas, rather than receding into it as in traditional painting.

Abstract Illusionism

Abstract landscapes draw inspiration from the real world but purposefully diverge from it, prioritising shapes over literal representations.

Abstract landscape paintings deliberately depart from reality, making them intriguing for both artists and viewers. Artists have the liberty to employ unconventional colour schemes, amplify shapes, and use details and textures to convey a wide range of emotions and ideas. Two of the most famous abstract expressionists include Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler.

Abstract Landscape

Abstract sculpture involves crafting a shape or form using a combination of lines or a simple shape, without the use of colour.

In the early 20th century, avant-garde sculptors moved away from realistic representation to explore abstraction. They aimed to express life's realities through forms rather than replicating the visible world. Abstract sculpture became a fertile ground for experimenting with shape, proportion, and techniques, including unconventional methods like industrial manufacturing, plastic moulds, and 3D printing. Modern abstract sculpture includes Concrete Art's precise forms, Minimalist sculptures with strict geometry, and Kinetic Sculpture embodying movement and physical forces.

Abstract Sculpture

Acrylic paint is a quick-drying paint composed of pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. 

Acrylic paint, first developed in the 1950s, employs a synthetic resin to bind pigments. Its adaptability shines through in its ability to be thinned with water, allowing for both thin and thick applications, mimicking the qualities of watercolour or oil painting, or manifesting unique characteristics not found in other mediums. Once dry, acrylic paint becomes waterproof.

Thanks to its versatility and rapid drying time, acrylic paint has gained immense popularity as a painting medium, widely embraced by contemporary artists. Notably, artist David Hockney was an early advocate of acrylic paint, using it to create some of his most iconic works during the 1960s.

An important distinction between acrylic paint and oil paint lies in their bases: acrylics are water-based, while oils are oil-based.

Acrylic Paint

Action painting is a style where paint is applied spontaneously by dripping, splashing, or smearing onto the canvas instead of meticulous application.

In 1952, art critic Harold Rosenberg introduced the term "action painting" to characterise artists who employed bold, physically engaging gestures, departing from the conventional easel painting. Typically, the viewer can discern broad brushstrokes, drips, splashes, or other indications of the physical involvement in creating the artwork.

The label ‘action painters’ is used for artists active from the 1940s to the early 1960s, emphasising the physical act of painting as an integral aspect of the completed artwork.

Action Painting

African art includes paintings, sculptures, installations, and various forms of visual culture produced by native or indigenous Africans on the African continent.

African art encompasses the diverse and rich visual expressions originating from native Africa, with a primary focus on sub-Saharan Africa. This multifaceted artistry includes a wide array of media, such as sculpture, painting, pottery, rock art, textiles, masks, personal adornments, and jewellery. These forms of artistic expression not only serve as a reflection of Africa's vibrant cultural heritage but also encapsulate the intricate stories, traditions, and beliefs of the diverse communities across the continent. African art is celebrated for its profound connection to spirituality, history, and everyday life, making it a captivating and vital part of the global artistic landscape.

African art

Afrofuturism is a cultural style blending science fiction, history, and fantasy to delve into the African-American experience.

The term ‘afrofuturism’, initially introduced by cultural critic Mark Derry in 1993, describes a creative approach that reimagines Black history, culture, and potential futures by blending science fiction and fantasy. Black artists across various fields, such as music, dance, painting, and literature, employ afrofuturism as a means to rediscover the past, grasp the present, and envision a future shaped by their unique perspectives.

Afrofuturism

An Algorithm is a set of instructions used to solve problems, perform specific tasks or make decisions.

With origins in mathematics, algorithms are now a crucial element of coding and Generative Art. Making changes to an algorithms will result in different outputs from a given input. More advanced algorithms use conditional decisions – 'automated reasoning' – to progress from intput to output. Determninistic algorithms will have a more controlled output, however some algorithms incorporate one or more randomised steps and as such have more unpredictable outcomes.

Algorithm

Antiquity refers to the ancient past, from approx 4,500 BCE, marking the origins of Western civilization, to around the start of the Middle Ages.

Early Antiquity features various forms of art, including advanced pottery and the invention of the potter's wheel, complex religious art like Egyptian pyramid architecture, storytelling through relief sculptures like upright stone or wooden steles, and intricate decorative art such as jewellery, ornate weaponry, mosaics, ivory carving, and pottery painting. During early Antiquity, the primary civilizations were Mesopotamia and Egypt, with additional notable cultures like Ancient Persia, which emerged around 3,500 BCE.

Antiquities

Aquatint is a print resembling a watercolour painting, etching a copper plate with nitric acid and using resin and varnish to achieve tonal shading.

Aquatint is a printmaking technique, similar to etching, but it's used to create tones instead of lines. It's often combined with other intaglio methods. In aquatint, fine particles of acid-resistant material, like powdered rosin, are heated and attached to a printing plate. The plate is then dipped in acid, just like in etching, which eats away the metal around the particles, forming a textured pattern of small indented rings. These rings hold ink and give the illusion of shaded areas when printed. 

You can control the printed areas by using varnish on the plate, and different tones are achieved by varying the time in the acid bath – longer times create darker tones. This technique originated in France in the 1760s and became popular in Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. 

Aquatint

Art Nouveau is a global design style from the 1890s, known for its graceful, flowing lines and organic shapes inspired by natural plant forms.

Art Nouveau is an international artistic movement from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, aimed to unite various art forms and capture the intense sensory experiences of urban life. While it influenced painting and sculpture, its primary expressions were found in design, performance art, and architecture. Different regional variations bore names like Arte Nova, Glasgow Style, Stile Liberty, and Arte Modernista. The well-known version, Art Nouveau (meaning ‘New Art’ in French), thrived in France and Belgium, featuring sinuous and asymmetrical lines inspired by organic shapes.

Art Nouveau

Arte Povera (poor art) was an art movement in 1960s Italy that endeavoured to forge a fresh sculptural style using modest, common materials. 

In the late 1960s, young Italian artists sought to develop a fresh sculptural style using ordinary materials in a movement known as Arte Povera or ‘poor art’. Coined by Italian critic Germano Celant in 1967, this term encapsulated the work of these artists, as Celant identified a common revolutionary essence in their art, closely tied to the growing radical political climate in Italy. Through the use of basic, temporary materials like soil, cloth, and branches, Arte Povera artists aimed to defy and break free from the commodification of art.

Arte Povera

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science and technology that focuses on creating systems and machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. 

These tasks include problem-solving, learning, reasoning, understanding natural language, and recognizing patterns. AI systems use algorithms, data, and computational power to emulate human cognitive functions, enabling them to automate processes, make decisions, and adapt to changing circumstances.

Artificial Intelligence

Appropriation in art involves deliberate borrowing, replicating, and modifying of existing images, objects, and ideas as an artistic approach.

Appropriation has had a significant impact on the history of the arts – its origins can be traced back to the cubist collages and constructions of artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, starting around 1912. They incorporated real objects like newspapers to represent themselves. This approach was further developed in the readymades of French artist Marcel Duchamp from 1915 – one of the most infamous examples is ‘Fountain’, a men's urinal signed, titled, and presented on a pedestal. 

Surrealism also extensively employed appropriation in collages and objects, exemplified by Salvador Dalí's Lobster Telephone. In the late 1950s, artists like Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, as well as the pop art movement, prominently featured appropriated images and objects. 

Appropriation art raises questions about originality, authenticity, and authorship, fitting within the broader modernist tradition of art that challenges the nature and definition of art itself.

Artist Appropriation

An art commission involves asking for the creation of a piece, typically on behalf of someone else.

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.

Artist Commission

Assemblage is characterised by the arrangement of three-dimensional elements on a defined surface, often protruding from the substrate.

The practice of assemblage in art traces its roots back to Pablo Picasso's cubist constructions, which marked the inception of his three-dimensional works in 1912. One early example is his creation "Still Life" from 1914, composed of various wood scraps and a piece of tablecloth fringe, ingeniously glued together and then painted. Picasso continued to employ assemblage intermittently throughout his artistic journey.

In 1918, the Dada artist Kurt Schwitters pioneered the use of scavenged materials to craft collages and assemblages, coining the term "merz" for this technique. Assemblage also served as the foundation for numerous surrealist artworks. Inspired by the writings of psychologist Sigmund Freud on the realms of the unconscious and dreams, surrealist artists frequently amalgamated improbable combinations of found objects, giving rise to surprising and disconcerting sculptures.

Assemblage

Automatism involves crafting artwork without deliberate thought, tapping into the reservoir of the unconscious mind.

The term ‘automatism’ is adopted from physiology, where it denotes bodily actions that occur without conscious control, such as breathing or sleepwalking. Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud employed techniques like free association and automatic drawing or writing to delve into the unconscious thoughts of his patients.

Automatism

An autonomous system is a system that uses a non-human decision maker. 

Autonomous systems have been used by humans for centuries to relinquish control, with systems of logic ranging from simple games to unfathomably complex algorithms. In the context of Generative Art, an autonomous is usually a non-human entity such as a computer program or machine. Here, the artist allows this entity to guide the final outcome – or artwork – in ways they cannot fully anticipate. Many of the results can be found on the blockchain.

Autonomous System

Bauhaus was a groundbreaking institution for art, architecture, and design, founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius in Weimar, Germany.

The Bauhaus teaching approach replaced the traditional teacher-student dynamic with a collaborative community of artists. Its goal was to reconnect art with everyday life, giving equal importance to architecture, performing arts, design, and applied arts alongside fine art. 

The name ‘Bauhaus’ combines the German words for ‘building’ (bau) and ‘house’ (haus), perhaps suggesting a collective effort to construct a new society. Prominent teachers included Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, László Moholy-Nagy, and Josef Albers.

Bauhaus

The Ben Day process is a method in printing that creates shades of grey or different colours by using intricate ink patterns on paper.

A low-cost mechanical printing technique, developed in the late 19th century and named after its creator, illustrator and printer Benjamin Henry Day, Jr., employs small coloured dots (usually cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) placed at different intervals and blended to produce shading and various colours in images.

Ben-Day Dots

Biomorphism comes from the Greek ‘bios’ (life) and ‘morphe’ (form), describing abstract shapes or images that remind people of living things. 

Biomorphism is an artistic design approach that draws inspiration from patterns and forms found in the natural world and living organisms. It involves emulating these organic elements to create aesthetically pleasing and harmonious designs. At its most radical, biomorphism seeks to integrate these naturally occurring shapes into functional objects or devices, seamlessly blending art and functionality. This design philosophy celebrates the beauty and efficiency of nature's creations and endeavours to infuse them into the man-made world.

Biomorphism

The Black Arts Movement was an art movement led by African Americans, active in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Black Arts Movement, initiated by African American artists and thinkers in the 1960s and 1970s in the United States, emerged during a period when Black people worldwide were striving for freedom and equality. This movement aimed to empower Black individuals by focusing on cultural creations such as literature, theatre, and visual arts deeply rooted in Black history and identity. 

The art produced was designed for Black audiences and was intended to be readily available, both in terms of its subject matter and its accessibility through public murals and affordable prints.

Black Arts Movement

The blockchain is a distributed and decentralized digital ledger technology that securely records transactions across a network of computers.

It was originally developed as the underlying technology for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. In a blockchain, each transaction is verified and added to a chain of blocks, forming a transparent and tamper-resistant ledger. Blockchain technology has since found applications beyond cryptocurrencies, including supply chain management, voting systems and digital identity verification.

Blockchain

The built environment refers to human-made surroundings, typically used in architecture, urban planning, public health, sociology, and anthropology.

The built environment encompasses spaces crafted by human efforts, such as cities, buildings, infrastructure like electricity grids and highways, landscaped areas, and resource extraction sites like mines and oil wells. How these spaces are planned and organised influences our social, cultural, and physical interactions with them. This concept gained prominence in the 1960s in the United States and Europe as it expanded from ecological sciences to fields like anthropology, psychology, urban planning, and architectural design, exploring the connections between organisms and their surroundings.

Built Environment 

The Chicano Art Movement signifies significant efforts by Mexican-American artists to create a distinct artistic identity within the United States.

Chicano art, traditionally made by Americans of Mexican descent, is strongly influenced by the Chicano Movement in the United States, which was part of the countercultural revolution in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Artists in this movement aimed to establish a collective identity that was positive, self-determined, and challenged racial stereotypes. Many of these artists drew inspiration from Mexican muralism and pre-Columbian art.

In 1990, a significant travelling exhibition called "Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation" opened at Wight Gallery at the University of California, Los Angeles. According to the exhibition's advisory committee, Chicano art is a modern expression of the Mexicano people's enduring cultural, economic, and political struggle in the United States. It affirms the complex identity and vitality of the Chicano people, shaped by their experiences in the Americas.

At the heart of this movement is the idea of "rasquachismo," which comes from the Spanish word "rasquache," meaning poor. It signifies a resourceful and improvisational attitude, often involving the use of readily available materials, drawing on community resources, or even incorporating elements from other art movements or postmodern theories.

Chicano Art

A collagraph is a collage of materials with different textures adhered to a printing plate, typically made of thin wood or cardboard.

Collagraphy, a printmaking technique pioneered by Glen Alps in 1955, involves the application of various materials onto a sturdy base surface. The term ‘collagraphy’ derives its origins from the Greek words ‘koll’ or ‘kolla’, signifying glue, and ‘graph’, referring to the act of drawing.

In this method, artists create unique textures and patterns by affixing an assortment of materials, such as paper, fabric, string, or even found objects, to a rigid substrate like wood or cardboard. The result is a highly textured printing plate that, when inked and pressed onto paper, produces prints with rich, intricate surfaces that showcase the tactile qualities of the materials used. Collagraphy allows artists to explore a wide range of creative possibilities, making it a versatile and expressive form of printmaking.

Collagraph

Conceptual art emerged in the late 1960s, prioritising the idea or concept behind the piece over the actual art object.

Conceptual art, or conceptualism, was formed in the late 1960s, and focused on ideas (i.e. concepts) and theories more than making visual works. In 1967, artist Sol LeWitt named this new type of art ‘conceptual art’ in his essay ‘Paragraphs on Conceptual Art’. He said, "The idea itself, even if not shown visually, is just as much art as any finished thing." Conceptual artists used their art to challenge the idea of what art is, and to criticise the ideas behind how art is made, shared, and shown.

Conceptual Art

Conceptualism is an art movement that emerged in the mid-20th century, emphasizing the idea or concept behind an artwork rather than its visual or aesthetic qualities.

In conceptual art, the concept or the thought process is considered more important than the final physical form of the artwork. Artists often use various mediums, including text, photographs, and installations, to convey their ideas, challenging traditional notions of art and aesthetics.

Conceptualism

Contemporary African art reflects a period of change and modernisation, typically created by African artists born after 1970.

The term refers to art from Sub-Saharan Africa, which is distinct from the art in Europe and the northern part of the continent influenced by the Middle East.

Artists who grew up in the 1970s express themselves differently from earlier generations because it was a time of optimism and liberation, marked by many African nations gaining independence from colonial rule. Contemporary African art reflects this exciting period and addresses various postcolonial issues like public health, income inequality, and national identity.

Before decolonisation, Western perceptions of African art were often collective, viewing the art as products of tribes. It wasn't until the 1980s that individual African artists gained recognition in Europe and the US. The 1989 exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, titled "Magiciens de la terre," played a significant role in generating interest in African and other non-Western artworks.

Contemporary African Art

Contemporary art is commonly used to describe art that pertains to the current era, often characterised by its innovative or avant-garde qualities.

At its core, ‘contemporary art’ includes various art forms like painting, sculpture, photography, installation, performance, and video art created in the current timeframe. However, pinpointing its precise beginning can be somewhat vague, as people's interpretations of ‘today’ vary significantly. So, the exact inception of this genre remains a subject of debate. Nevertheless, many art historians find the late 1960s or early 1970s (marking the conclusion of modern art or modernism) to be a reasonable approximation.

Contemporary Art

Contemporary Asian art typically describes art created across Asia since the 1980s. 

Contemporary Asian art is characterised by a deep appreciation for local culture and traditions, which often serve as both themes and primary materials in artistic creation. The works crafted by contemporary Asian artists are frequently intertwined with and influenced by their indigenous traditions.

Contemporary Asian Art

Contemporary figurative painting is art from the late 20th to the 21st century that portrays recognisable forms or figures from the real world.

Figurative painting made a strong comeback in the 1980s through artists like Julian Schnabel and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Since then, it has continued to evolve with various experimental styles and subjects, such as art-historical portraits, blurred memories, and reduced figuration.

Contemporary Figurative Painting

Contemporary Impressionism refers to artworks created by modern artists that share aesthetic characteristics with the French Impressionists.

Contemporary Impressionist artworks, whether showing cityscapes or nature, are characterised by loose and expressive brushwork that highlights the play of light. Similar to the Impressionist painters, Nancy Friese created her watercolour painting "Walk to the Sea" (2012) outdoors to capture the changing light and weather in the landscape. John Terelak's painting "Faneuil Hall," depicting a downtown Boston marketplace, echoes the 1880s Parisian scenes with its focus on fading daylight and the glow from stores and streetlights.

Contemporary Impressionist

Contemporary performance is a body of work that blends elements from visual art, dance, and musical compositions, to construct an artistic expression.

Contemporary performance spans a wide array of fields, with no confines on pushing boundaries. It integrates modern techniques and encourages innovative thinking, offering audiences a markedly distinct experience compared to traditional classical performances. This tradition traces its roots back to the early 1800s, evolving through the Avant Garde movement into the present-day postmodern era. Immersing oneself in the realm of contemporary theatre opens doors to extensive collaborations and profound critical examinations of each technique, shedding light on their historical and present-day relevance.

Contemporary Performance

Contemporary photography captures or mirrors a perspective on our present-day world, so it can sometimes be defined as an image taken in our lifetime.

Contemporary photography, from the 1970s onwards, encompasses a broad range of styles and techniques. It has evolved significantly due to new technologies like colour photography, digital editing, and large-scale printing. Modern photographers use these advancements to offer fresh takes on traditional subjects.

For instance, the New Topographics movement showcased straightforward, expansive views of nature. More recently, photographers like Alec Soth and Taryn Simon have focused on portraying individuals from the edges of society. There's also a trend of blurring the line between documentary and fiction, as seen in the carefully staged images by photographers such as Cindy Sherman, Jeff Wall, and Gregory Crewdson.

Contemporary Photography

In art, contour lines outline the edges of an object, emphasising the shape's boundaries and significant internal lines.

A contour is the line outlining a shape or form, like an outline. Contour drawing is often where beginners begin, following the visible edges of an object. It traces the outer edges of a form and any significant changes in its planes. In simple terms, it's a drawing that consists only of outlines without shading.

In contour drawing, the artist focuses on observing the object's edges without frequently looking at the paper while drawing. The aim is to create a line that accurately represents what is seen and trains the hand to follow the eye's movements.

Contour Line

Contrapposto (Italian for ‘counterpoise’) is a sculptural technique depicting humans resting their weight on one leg, with the other bent at the knee.

Developed by the Ancient Greeks, Contrapposto, an Italian term meaning "counterpoise," is used in the visual arts to describe a human figure standing with the majority of its weight on one foot. This posture causes the shoulders and arms to twist away from the hips and legs in the axial plane.

Contrapposto

Digital art is artwork created or presented leveraging digital technology.

Digital art encompasses any form of artistic creation or practice that incorporates digital technology in the creative or presentation process. It also includes computational art that interacts with – and leverages – digital media.

The term ‘digital art’ first emerged in the early 1980s when computer engineers developed a painting program that the pioneering digital artist Harold Cohen used. This program, known as AARON, was a robotic machine designed to create large drawings on sheets of paper positioned on the floor. Over time, as technology advanced, Cohen continued to refine the AARON program, delving further into the realm of artificial intelligence.

Digital Art

Digital printing is a technique that involves printing an image directly onto various types of media from a digital source.

Digital printing is a way to print digital images on different materials without using a printing plate, unlike offset printing. You can send digital files, like PDFs or desktop publishing files, straight to the digital printer to produce prints on various surfaces like paper, photo paper, canvas, fabric, cardstock, and more.

Digital Print

Drypoint is a printmaking method in which a design is inscribed onto a plate using a sharp, needle-like tool.

Drypoint is an intaglio printmaking method that produces distinct lines with soft, velvety edges. It involves the use of a diamond-pointed needle to incise lines directly into an unprepared metal printing plate, displacing metal ridges that adhere to the edges of these incised lines, known as burrs. During the inking process, the incised lines and burrs capture the ink. Damp paper is then placed on the plate and passed through a press, causing it to collect ink from both the incised lines and burrs, creating the characteristic fuzzy line quality.

Drypoint

Dynamic composition revolves around movement and energy, aiming to be captivating and thrilling while avoiding predictability.

Dynamism, often associated with Italian Futurists, is used for both abstract and figurative artworks that convey a sense of movement and energy. In abstract pieces, you may notice compositional turbulence, agitation, or frenetic energy, while figurative works may feature changing, receding, or emerging forms. If you're looking for artworks depicting real objects in motion, check out the "Movement" category.

Dynamism

Engraving is a printmaking method where incisions are crafted into a metal plate, serving to hold the ink and shape the resulting printed image.

Engraving is an intaglio printmaking technique where lines are meticulously incised into a metal plate, enabling it to retain ink. You typically use copper or zinc plates, and they undergo thorough polishing to eliminate any surface blemishes or scratches, ensuring that only the intended lines are transferred during printing.

Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore

More in this series

Felix Gonzalez-Torres

Georgia O’Keeffe

Nan Goldin

Barry McGee

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