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

Épreuve d'Artist refers to the artist's proofs in a limited edition of prints. These are a small number of prints reserved by the artist for personal use and are typically marked with the (...) read more

Etching is a technique where a design is created on a metal surface by using a strong acid or mordant to eat away the unprotected parts of the metal, leaving the desired pattern in relief (intaglio). (...) read more

Etching and aquatint are printmaking techniques. In aquatint, the printing plate is etched with a pattern of tiny pits and cracks to create a wide range of tonal gradations. This technique allows (...) 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

Found objects (or objet trouvé in French) are everyday items that an artist finds and incorporates into a work of art. While collectors have displayed aesthetically pleasing objects for centuries, (...) read more

A foundry is a place where metal is melted and shaped to create sculptures. Artists bring their completed wax sculptures to the foundry, where molds are made in the same shape. The foundry then uses (...) 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

A silver gelatin print is a type of photographic print made using the silver process. In this process, photographic materials such as black and white films and printing papers are coated with a (...) 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

Giclée printing is a digital technique for reproducing artwork using a high-resolution digital file and an inkjet printer with archival-quality inks. This process produces prints with exceptional (...) read more

Glass is a transparent solid that varies in composition depending on the type. Artists use different types of glass to create art forms such as stained glass, blown glass, and various decorated (...) read more

Gouache is an opaque watercolor paint that allows artists to layer from light to dark. Unlike traditional transparent watercolors, gouache is used for creating solid, vibrant colors. It belongs to (...) 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

Graphite is a form of carbon commonly used as the core material in pencils. It can be compressed to various levels of hardness, allowing for different shading effects in drawing. In powdered form, (...) read more