Photography for Artists & Designers

Art & Design 265

 

Artist's Statements

Artist's Statement

Links and Examples of Artist's Statements

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Artist's Statement

Artist's Statements:

Review comments from 2D Design Course discussion of concept development during the Define stage.

An Artist's Statement is something of a personal-creative concept statement.
There is no absolute right way to write an artist's statement.

Writing an artist's statement is, in part, an introspective experience — the writing involves a process of self-examination; you explore what really matters to you. Putting that into words is tough. Most words just don't do. And it changes — the way you describe your goals and priorities today will likely be different than how you will describe them a year from now. Every work of art you create informs your goals, directions and, yes, your now-in-need-of-revision artist's statement.

An artist's statement is, in part, a mission statement that clarifies what you are pursuing, focusing on or exploring. It helps you stay on-task as you work through a series of images or expressive pieces.

It is, in part, a means of building a bridge to your audience — You write your statement to enable interested viewers, clients or buyers to more fully understand your artwork, your creative process and your point of view. You help them know what to look for, and how to make sense of your imagery.
The more others understand you and your work, the more they tend to become interested in exploring your work (or buying it.)

And, an artist's statement has become a marketing tool — it is a must-have for any exhibit or publication presenting your work. Galleries and collectors expect them. Graduate admissions applications expect them.
If they can't figure out your art, at least they can read and talk about your statement.

 

Questions to Answer

One way to begin writing an Artist's Statement is to start with some questions, and then respond to them.

An Artist's Statement might answer questions such as:

— What topics or issues are important to me?
— What artists or artworks are a major influence on my work? What about their work inspires me?
— What did/do my favorite artists/photographers deal with? What methods do they use?
— What materials or working processes do I use? Why are these processes important to me?
— What do I want my images to achieve...what impact do I want to have on my viewers?
— What qualities or traits do I want my images to have? What tactics do I employ in my images?

When you hear these questions, what thoughts come to mind?
What are your answers or fragments of answers...what do you want to explain?

Write that out.
That will get your Artist's Statement started.

 

What do you pursue? What do you want your images to be?

Slowly but surely, the expressive photographer must develop some sense of purpose and of possibility.

Here is what I want my images to say or do.
Here is what I believe an image can be — this is its possibility or potential.
This is what I want to reach for.
I want to figure out how to capture and craft images that do this.

That's what you explore in your Artist's Statement.

 

Artist's Statements: Examples and LInks

Other Artists Statements

A simple 1-image statement | stmt about a video (p3) | Acts of Faith (stmt btn UR) | Staying Vertical (p2) | Life Is Not Easy (intro)

Between Worlds (stmt Btn UR) | Baobab (stmt Brn UR) |

Examples |

A whole site on ArtistStatements.com | Instructions/Discussion | Description (WikiP) | Instructions/Discussion |

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