Artist-run initiative (ARI)

This is us! An Artist-run Initiative is exactly what it sounds like - an initiative run by artists. ARI’s can be publications, galleries, events, creative studios or online communities. They are short or long-term projects, fostered by people (often volunteers) who have first hand experience in the arts, that seek to benefit or provide opportunity for other creatives.

Collective

An artist collective is a group of artists, curators and supporters who work together, usually under their own management, towards a common objective, and are often united by shared ideologies, aesthetics and, or, political beliefs. This group aims to promote the work of every member of the collective, usually through shared workspace and materials, marketing and promotion efforts, advocacy and collaborations. Every member of the collective jointly shares costs, benefits and risks. 

Commercial gallery

An art gallery that is grounded on selling artworks. A commercial gallery may have represented artists and/or a stockroom that they sell works from in conjunction to programmed exhibitions.

Not-for-Profit gallery/art space

A gallery or artspace that invests all profits back into operations, programming etc. These spaces are often artist-run or connected to local councils and initiatives. Sales are rarely strongly pushed, however the gallery may still take a sales commission.

Residency

An opportunity for an artist or other creative to stay and/or work somewhere temporarily, often as part of a designated artist-in-residence program. A residency is not the same as renting an artist studio, it is usually organised through an external party and often entails an application process. 

Fellowship

A monetary award given to an artist or scholar to pay for their academic or research pursuits. Often in the visual arts sector, fellowships are a grant to research and develop a specific body of work related to your research area. Fellows are selected based on their potential to make a positive, long-lasting contribution to their artform or discourse.

Grant

A grant is an amount of money that a government or other institution gives to an individual or to an organisation for a particular purpose, such as project funding.

Emerging artist

Welcome to the most vague term in the art world. This often refers to an artist who is in the early stages of their career (i.e. still studying or within the first 5 years out of university). Emerging artists are often unrepresented (but not always) and have been practicing for less than 10 years. 

Early-career artist

This is probably a good way to distinguish artists who are fresh out of uni and have only done a few shows, and young but widely exhibited artists. An early-career artist is a good way to describe an artist who is in their first 10 years of practicing and has shown work in larger institutions (e.g. MCA, Carriageworks, Archibald Prize etc.) on more than one occasion. 

Mid-career artist

We’re never really certain if this is an official term, but it is often used to identify artists who are no longer considered ‘emerging artists’ (usually because of age, experience etc.) A lot of the time these people would usually just refer to them as an ‘artist’ more generally.

Established artist

Again, who knows what this means and when you reach this point.  But, you could assume that if you’re regularly exhibiting at An artist wouldn’t describe themselves as ‘established’ but it might be used when speaking about someone when they’re not around. 

Represented artist

An artist who is connected to a commercial gallery through an agreement where the artist and gallery each have obligations to one another (e.g. the gallery may take a % commission of any artwork sold of the artist regardless of where the sale was made, the artist receives a solo exhibition at the gallery every 3 years). Think of it as a weird version of energy drink companies sponsoring sports teams - an artist gets promoted through a gallery and in turn the gallery receives a portion of sale profits.

Acid free vs. archival

Although archival materials are always acid free, there is a common misconception that acid free materials are also archival. Acid free materials shouldn’t discolour like other acidic materials, but they still have potential to damage other surfaces when they are in contact long-term. Eg. acid free tapes can rip papers.

Anthropocene

The Anthropocene Epoch is an unofficial unit of geologic time. It is used to describe the most recent period in Earth’s history, when human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems. It is often the thematic underpinnings to a lot of contemporary artworks.

Archive

An archive is a collection of primary source documents and objects, which can provide historical information on a specific subject, persona or place. 

In art-speak, an archive doesn’t necessarily need to reference or communicate historical information per se, but a collection of works can be interpreted as an archive in itself. 

Commission

1. (noun) an artwork you have been paid to create by a specific person or institution. A commissioned work is usually something made in return for payment, and a piece you would not have made otherwise.

2. (noun) a percentage of an artwork sale that is collected by a gallery, curator or other third party, usually in the case of an exhibition. 

Contemporaries

The people or artists who are at the same level as you in your professional practice. These are not necessarily individuals that you know personally, but those that work in the same era, field or location as you. If you are a uni student, your fellow students or recent graduates are your contemporaries.

Cross disciplinary, interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary

A cross disciplinary practice combines more than one discipline or medium to create artworks. E.g. an artist who combines their skills in printmaking and photography to create artworks. 

An interdisciplinary practice engages with different disciplines or mediums that interact with one another to create an artwork. These works are usually a hybrid of different processes and mediums. E.g. an artwork who often engages with printmaking, painting and photography skills to create experimental installations and sculptures. 

A multi-disciplinary practice utilises multiple disciplines or mediums to create different artworks. E.g. an artist who creates different artworks using printmaking, painting, or photography. 

Diaspora

A term used to describe the spread or dispersion of people from their (ancestral) homeland. Diaspora is often used by artists/curators who have (or who's family have) migrated from one part of the world to another to discuss their diverse experience of culture and identity.

Discourse

A fancy word for conversation or debate.

Expanded field

Processes or methods employed in a medium or discipline that are beyond traditional or basic techniques. E.g. The expanded field of printmaking could include installation art, photography, performance, painting, printing onto non-paper substrates etc. 

Iteration 

A new interpretation or installation of an existing artwork. Think of it like making a sequel to an artwork but without creating a new work. E.g. Creating a series of prints, then later turning them into an artist book or collaged artwork as a second iteration OR exhibiting an installation with multiple parts, then a few years later installing a new iteration of the work in a different configuration or with new components.

Install vs. installation

An install refers to a designated time to hang or place artworks in an exhibition space. E.g. We will use Tuesday as our install day OR the gallery technician installed my artwork on the wall.

An installation is a type of artwork that comprises one or more parts and engages with space in a dynamic way. An installation is often interactive or immersive - different to a sculpture. E.g. This artwork is an installation OR I am an installation artist OR I will install the installation at the art gallery on Tuesday (which is the install day).

Materiality 

1. (adjective) The material makeup or quality of an artwork.

2. (noun) A concept that focuses on the significance, tactility, fabrication and presence of materials in an artwork. 

Method vs. methodology 

A method refers to the techniques and processes used to create an artwork, such as printmaking or painting.

Methodology refers to an artist’s approach to making, and particularly research; how they think about and around their practice. 

Nuance

A fancy way of saying subtle distinction or variation.

Polyptych

A polyptych is a multi-paneled work, usually with more than three parts. If you want to get technical, here are some more specific terms: diptych (2), triptych (3), tetraptych (4), pentaptych (5), and so on.

Post-human 

Post-human is a concept located between science, technology and art, which is interdisciplinary both in its theory and artistic practice - accepting that human nature is far from constant, that it is ever-evolving, both as a means of expression as well as a way of understanding.

Practice

The physical form and conceptual content that make up an artist’s work. A way of looking at an artist's artworks or processes as a whole.

Public vs.  private collections

A public collection is usually owned by a publicly-funded and publicly-accessed institution. These are often government funded and driven by the interests of the general public. 

A private collection is usually a privately owned collection of artworks by an art-collector or person not associated with a public entity. I.e  if you own original artwork, this would be considered a private collection. 

Vernacular 

A vernacular or vernacular language refers to the language or dialect that is spoken by people that are inhabiting a particular country or region. Art-speak is often considered its own vernacular, used predominantly by those in the arts industry. 

White Cube

Refers to a certain gallery aesthetic which emerged from Western Modernism, which is characterised by its white, undecorated walls, hidden sources of artificial light, usually from the ceiling, polished wooden floor or other homogenous surface, and is considered the ideal environment for the presentation of artworks.

Intaglio

This refers to printmaking processes which manipulate the matrix to hold ink within the surface of the plate, such as etching or aquatint.

A la poupee

Spot inking areas of an etching plate.

Aquatint

An intaglio technique for creating tonal range. An aquatint consists of a layer of powdered rosin applied and melted to the surface of an etching plate, which is then dipped in nitric acid for varying times to create tone.

Bite

The process of dipping an intaglio plate into a nitric acid solution to burn grooves into the plate to hold ink. The ‘bite’ is the corrosion of the metal. 

Collagraph

A matrix created by building layers upon a rigid surface, which can then be inked as an intaglio or relief. 

Colour roll

An inking technique in which ink is applied to the surface of a pre-inked intaglio plate with a roller.

Drypoint

Marks made into a copper or plastic plate with a scribe.

Etching

An intaglio mark marking technique which involves drawing with a scribe through a hard ground on a metal plate, which is then dipped in nitric acid to burn deeper grooves to hold ink.

Hard ground

Usually a mix of solidified bitumen and wax, which is applied to the surface of a metal plate during the etching process. Hard ground is applied by working over a hotplate so that the hard ground melts to a consistency that can be even applied using a roller. The hard ground provides a surface to draw into and protects the rest of the plate from being ‘bitten’ by the nitric acid.

Mezzotint

The manipulation of a copper plate by ‘roughing up’ the surface with a rocker to hold ink, and creating tone by smoothing or burnishing areas to no longer hold ink.

Soft ground

Usually a mix of solidified bitumen and wax, which is applied to the surface of a metal plate during the etching process. Soft ground has a greasier consistency to hard ground making it easier to remove from a plate (e.g. using impressions, scribing, fingerprints).

Sugar lift

An intaglio process where a water soluble solution of sugar and red oxide is painted onto an etching plate, coated with a thin layer of bitumen, then lifted off with boiling water to reveal a design which may be etched or treated with aquatint.

Rosin

Powdered or crushed rosin is a substance used in matrix development for intaglio and lithography processes.

Lithography

A process of developing a stone or metal matrix by building layers of grease, such as crayons or touche, which are chemically processed to attract ink by activating the repellent relationship between grease and water.

Touche

A greasy liquid which can be diluted with water to be used like paint in lithography.

Monoprint vs. monotype

While both of these methods create unique prints, there is a key difference in their matrix development. A monoprint has a basic matrix which can be repeated, at least partially. Whereas monotypes are typically created on smooth surfaces, such as metal or glass, which will not permanently retain the printed image.

Reduction block print

A multi-coloured linocut or woodblock print, with each colour produced by carving multiple layers from a single block.

Relief print

A matrix printed by rolling ink over the surface. Typically refers to a block matrix, such as silk lino, vinyl or wood, but can be an alternative way to ink an intaglio plate.

Screen printing (or serigraphy)

A printmaking process in which ink is pushed through open and blocked areas of mesh (stretched around a metal or wooden frame). The matrix is created by blocking areas of the mesh with hand cut stencils, UV activated emulsion or other blocking agents, so that the open areas become the printed design.

Halftone 

A technique for creating tone through the use of dots. The size and spacing between dots creates the tonal range. 

This technique is typically used in CMYK screen printing, in which photographs are broken down into four colour layers (cyan, magenta, yellow and key) of halftone dots.

Chine collé

A collaging technique applied during the inking and printing process. Archival glue is applied to the back of thin paper, such as tissue. The thin paper is laid over the ink matrix, glue side facing up, then the printmaking paper is laid over as usual and run through the press.

Embossing

The printing of matrices without ink, so that the carved or etched lines create a blind, indented design in the paper.

Flocking

A printing process in which short fibers of rayon, cotton, wool, or another natural or synthetic material are applied to an adhesive-coated surface, adding a velvet or suede-like texture to the surface.

Split fountain inking

An inking technique which creates a colour gradient within one colour layer. Colours are laid out so that they blend when rolled out (relief) or pulled (screen print). 

Ink

Do not eat. Do not waste. That shit is expensive.

Turps

Mineral Turpentine. Do not drink. Poison. Very bad. Please always wear PPE.

Custom printing

Printmakers help non-printmaker artists to create prints by processing the matrix and editioning.

Print exchange

A collection of prints made by different printmakers, and distributed evenly amongst the participants.