Art Glossary

Entropy, in a broader sense, refers to the inevitable deterioration or decline of a society or system. In art, the concept was popularized by artist Robert Smithson in the 1960s. He used the term to (...) read more

Environmental art is a collective term that refers to a wide range of artistic practices and works that engage with historical and ecological themes. The term often encompasses ecological concerns, (...) read more

Ephemeral art is a type of art that occurs only once and typically lasts for a very short period. It cannot be displayed as a traditional work of art in a gallery or museum. Examples of ephemeral art (...) read more

Feminist art refers to the art that emerged from the feminist art movement during the 1960s and 1970s. It developed with the intention of critiquing 20th-century gender ideals and challenging the (...) read more

Figuration Libre is an art movement that is equivalent to the French Bad Painting and Neo-Expressionism in Europe and America. The term was coined by Ben Vautier and the Fluxus movement. In 1981, (...) read more

Sometimes known as Figurativism, figurative art refers to sculptures and paintings that are clearly or specifically derived from real objects, making them representational. The term figurative art is (...) read more

Derived from the Latin word meaning flow, Fluxus is an international movement of designers, composers, and artists known for blending various artistic disciplines and media during the 1960s. The (...) read more

A found object is a term used to describe a man-made or natural object, or a fragment of one, that an artist discovers or purchases and keeps for inspiration or as a work of art. The artist may also (...) read more

In the 1960s, Funk Art emerged as a reactive movement against Abstract Expressionism. It was widely known as an anti-establishment movement, with the name derived from the jazz term funky. This term (...) read more

Futurism was an early 20th-century art movement that sought to capture the energy and dynamism of the modern world. The movement was launched by Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, who published (...) read more

Generative art refers to art that is wholly or partly created through an autonomous system. This system can be independent or non-human, capable of determining features that would otherwise be (...) read more

Geometric abstraction is a form of abstract art that uses geometric shapes arranged in a non-illusionistic space (though not always) and combined into non-representational (non-objective) (...) read more

Gestural art is a term that describes painting with freely sweeping brushstrokes. The primary goal of gestural art is to allow the artist to physically express emotional impulses. The varied, yet (...) read more

Graffiti art refers to drawings and writings that are painted, scratched, or scribbled on walls or other surfaces, typically in public spaces. This art form ranges from small tags to elaborate wall (...) read more

Grupo Frente was a movement founded in 1954 in Brazil by teaching artist Ivan Serpa. The movement included many students from the Rio de Janeiro Museum of Modern Art and sought to reject the (...) read more

Grupo Ruptura was an organization formed in Brazil by artists who sought to break away from traditional naturalist painting in favor of geometric abstract art. In the early 1950s, the group published (...) read more

Gutai was a group of Japanese radical artists who formed the Gutai Art Association in 1954. The word Gutai translates to embodiment. The group was known for creating art on the spot for live (...) read more

A Happening is a term used to describe artistic and theatrical events held by artists in the 1950s and 60s. These events were typically staged in gallery installations or planned environments and (...) read more

Hard Edge art is a style of abstract painting that became popular in the 1960s. It features areas of color separated by crisp, sharp edges that are painted with geometric precision. The term (...) read more

Hypermodernism is a cultural and artistic movement that emerged in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, characterized by an intense embrace of technology and a focus on speed, complexity, and the (...) read more

Hyperrealism is a genre of sculpture and painting that closely resembles high-resolution photographs. It is an evolution of Photorealism and is often applied to an independent art style or movement (...) read more

Interactive art is a form of art where the spectator is actively involved by the artist to achieve the artwork's purpose. This involvement can include allowing the visitor to walk around, in, or on (...) read more

Junk art is a form of art that demonstrates how any material or object can be used to create a wide range of paintings, sculptures, installations, and assemblages. Many Junk Art pieces are made using (...) read more

Kinetic art is an international movement that emerged in the 1920s and gained prominence in the 1960s, referring to art that involves both apparent and real motion. It encompasses any medium that (...) read more