Art Glossary

Definitions of Art Forms, Mediums, and Movements

Art Form, Art Movement, Varia, Country
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Stuckism

Stuckism is an art movement that promotes figurative painting over conceptual art. It was founded in 1999 by Charles Thomson and Billy Childish with an initial group of 13 artists in Britain. The (...) read more

Artwork © Billy Childish - Sailish Fisherman, 2020
Superflat

Superflat is an art movement founded by Takashi Murakami, heavily influenced by anime and manga. The term Superflat refers to the flattened forms found in Japanese animation, graphic art, fine arts, (...) read more

Artwork by Takashi Murakami
Surrealism

Surrealism began in the 1920s as an art and literary movement with the goal of revealing the unconscious mind and unleashing the imagination by exploring unusual and dream-like imagery. Influenced by (...) read more

Artwork by Rene Magritte
Sweden

Sweden's contemporary art scene is a progressive fusion of traditional aesthetics and cutting-edge creativity. Acclaimed artists like Nathalie Djurberg and Jonas Dahlberg push boundaries with their (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Bengt Lindstrom
Switzerland

Switzerland consistently underscores its position as a central axis in the global contemporary art realm. The country is home to prestigious museums such as the Kunsthaus Zürich and the Fondation (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Alberto Giacometti
Systems Art

Systems Art refers to a group of artists who, during the late 1960s and early 1970s, used the frameworks of conceptualism and minimalism to create art that was responsive to its environment. (...) read more

Artwork by Kenneth Noland
Tachisme

Tachisme is a French abstract painting style that gained popularity between 1940 and 1950, often seen as the European counterpart to Abstract Expressionism. However, there are stylistic differences (...) read more

Artwork by Sam Francis
Tapestry

Tapestry is a woven form of textile. It is generally heavy, and the completed work has a decorative pattern, design or realistic depiction of a portrait or real life activities. Tapestries were hung (...) read more

Image © milart/Shutterstock
Transavanguardia

Transavanguardia is the Italian version of Neo-Expressionism, referring to an art movement that emerged in Italy and other parts of Western Europe during the 1970s and 1980s. The term translates to (...) read more

Artwork by Francesco Clemente
Triennial

A triennial is a large-scale art exhibition that takes place every three years. These exhibitions often feature the latest artistic developments, works, and emerging artists on an international (...) read more

Image © Juliette Contin / Unsplash
Triptych

A triptych is an artwork divided into three sections or panels, often hinged together, allowing it to be displayed open or folded shut. It is a type of polyptych, a term for multi-panel artworks. (...) read more

Artwork by Francis Bacon
Ukraine

Ukraine's contemporary art scene reflects a captivating blend of rich heritage and forward-thinking dynamism. Artists such as Pavlo Makov and Anatoly Kryvolap are creating bold, innovative works that (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Ilja Kabakov
Uncanny

The Uncanny is a concept described by psychologist Sigmund Freud as the eerie or unsettling feeling that arises when something familiar is presented in a strange or unfamiliar way. Surrealist (...) read more

Artwork by Cindy Sherman
United Kingdom

Immerse yourself in the pulsating energy of the United Kingdom's contemporary art landscape. Steeped in history yet invigorated by cutting-edge experimentation, it is home to notable institutions (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Banksy
United States

The contemporary art scene in the United States is a dynamic fusion of diverse traditions and avant-garde explorations, resonating across the global art spectrum. Institutions like the Museum of (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Keith Haring
Uruguay

Contemporary Art in Uruguay is a dynamic and evolving field, reflecting the country's rich cultural heritage and innovative spirit. Uruguayan artists, through various mediums such as painting, (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Marco Maggi
Venezuela

Venezuela's contemporary art is a vibrant testament to the country's resilience and creativity amidst a backdrop of social and political turbulence. Artists like Carlos Cruz-Diez and Jesús Rafael (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Carlos Cruz-Diez
Watermark

A watermark is an image or pattern embedded into a sheet of paper during the papermaking process. Each papermaker includes a faint trademark, which becomes visible when the paper is held up to a (...) read more

Xiamen Dada

Xiamen Dada was a Chinese artist group based in Xiamen, a city on China’s southeast coast. Emerging in the 1980s, the group explored the relationship between Chan Buddhism and European Dada, (...) read more

© Composition.gallery
Young British Artists (YBAs)

Young British Artists (YBAs), also known as Britart or Brit artists, refers to a group of artists who began exhibiting together in London in 1988. Most of them graduated from the BA Fine Arts course (...) read more

Artwork by Damien Hirst
Zero Movement

ZERO was an art movement founded by Otto Piene and Heinz Mack, aiming to develop into a large international and cross-border movement. The name ZERO originated from a magazine founded by Heinz Mack (...) read more

Artwork by Otto Piene
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Est. 2005 — twenty years of collecting, online.