Art Glossary

Definitions of Art Forms, Mediums, and Movements

Varia, Art Movement, Country, Art Form
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Ghana

Ghana's contemporary art scene brims with creativity, reflecting its rich traditions and current realities. Accra's Gallery 1957 and the annual Chale Wote Street Art Festival offer platforms for (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © El Anatsui
Graffiti Art

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

Artwork by Mr Brainwash
Greece

Greece's vibrant contemporary art scene is a fusion of ancient heritage and modern perspectives. Institutions like the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens echo this dynamic. Famed artist (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Jannis Kounellis
Grupo Frente

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

Artwork by Ivan Serpa
Grupo Ruptura

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

Artwork by Waldemar Cordeiro
Gutai

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

© Composition.gallery
Happening

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

Artwork © Allan Kaprow’s “Happenings”
Hard Edge art

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

Artwork by Ellsworth Kelly
Hungary

Hungary's contemporary art scene is a captivating blend of history and modernity, encapsulating the nation's unique cultural evolution. Key venues such as the Ludwig Museum in Budapest and the MODEM (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Victor Vasarely
Hyper modernism

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

Image © Kashifv
Hyper-realism

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

Artwork by Robert Cottingham
India

India's contemporary art scene is a vibrant amalgamation of tradition and innovation. Key spaces like the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in New Delhi, and the Kochi-Muziris Biennale showcase a diverse (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Anish Kapoor
Interactive art

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

Artwork by Alberto Biasi
Ireland

In Ireland, contemporary art is a reflection of its rich history intertwined with current issues and innovative ideas. Dublin's Irish Museum of Modern Art and Temple Bar Gallery are key institutions (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Francis Bacon
Israel

In Israel, contemporary art is a captivating blend of diverse influences reflecting its complex history and cultural mosaic. Renowned institutions such as the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the Israel (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Yaacov Agam
Italy

The contemporary art scene in Italy is a testament to the nation's deep-rooted artistic tradition, vibrantly interacting with innovative expressions and global movements. Esteemed institutions, (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Mimmo Paladino
Japan

Contemporary Art in Japan is a vibrant fusion of traditional aesthetics and modern creativity. Japanese artists, such as Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami, have made significant contributions to the (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Yayoi Kusama
Junk art

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

Artwork by Gupta
Kinetic art

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

Artwork by Jesus Rafael Soto
Kitsch

Kitsch is a term used to describe cheap, commercial, sentimental, or vulgar art and objects commonly associated with popular culture. The word is borrowed from German, where it originally means (...) read more

Artwork by William Sweetlove
Land Art

Also referred to as Earth Art, Earthworks, or Environmental Art, Land Art is a sculptural movement that involves creating artworks that integrate conceptual or physical elements of the earth or (...) read more

Image © Robert Lukeman / Unsplash
Late modernism

Late Modernism refers to the continuation and evolution of Modernist principles in art, architecture, and literature from the mid-20th century into the late 20th century. This movement maintains a (...) read more

Artwork by Roy Lichtenstein
Latin American Art

Latin American Art is a style which takes inspiration from its culture, society, politics, native traditions, religions and landscape. Op-Art and Kinetic Art figure prominently in Latin artworks. (...) read more

Artwork by Carlos Cruz-Diez
Latvia

Latvia's contemporary art scene is a fascinating blend of historical influences and innovative expressions. Institutions such as the Latvian National Museum of Art in Riga showcase inspiring (...) read more

Artwork Copyright © Vija Celmins
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Est. 2005 — twenty years of collecting, online.