Glossary
| • Aesthetic | • Environment | • Modern art |
| • Art | • Exhibition | • New media art |
| • Art criticism | • Form | • Performance (art) |
| • Catalogue | • Gallery (Art) | • Point of view |
| • Conceptual art | • Hybridization | • Sketch |
| • Conservator | • Installation | • Solo exhibition |
| • Contemporary art | • Interactivity | • Technique |
| • Critique | • Media installation | • Traditional mediums |
| • Curator | • Medium | |
| • Exhibition designer | • Mixed media |
A
Aesthetic: The term aesthetic refers to the standards of beauty and art. It involves an evaluation of the effects that a work has on the intellectual, sensorial and emotional level.
Art: The term Art is used to describe a type of expression of human creativity. Artworks are often a reflection of reality and can be identified by their aesthetic and/or conceptual qualities.
Art criticism: A logical approach to looking at art that involves observation, interpretation, analysis and evaluation or judgment often communicated in writing or orally. People referred to as art critics are professionals in this field. See also "critique."
C
Catalogue: The catalogue is a volume that contains a list of all the artworks that have appeared in an exhibition or collection, as well as all the facts about them (ex: medium, size, date, etc.). The catalogue also contains the main ideas and themes of the exhibition. It is typically put together by one or more curator(s).
Conceptual art: A wide range of art forms in which the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work.
Conservator: The person in charge of maintaining the physical condition of artworks. Typically working in a lab, his or her work demands knowledge of artistic mediums as well as chemical solutions. A conservator is also known as a restorator.
Contemporary art: A general term that includes works of art made after 1970 or, more specifically, made by living artists. Unlike modern art it is not defined by separate time periods or styles.
Critique: A session or a single comment which serves the purpose of judging the artistic merits of a work. This process involves the analysis and interpretation of the work and the choices made by the artist.
Curator: The person responsible for researching, collecting, caring for, and exhibiting art. It is the curator's job to develop exhibition themes, choose the works that will be shown in the exhibition; and decide how the works will be placed in the exhibition space for maximum impact.
E
Exhibition designer: The person responsible for designing events such as large exhibitions, conferences, trade shows and temporary displays for museum, businesses, libraries and galleries. Among other things, the exhibition designer is responsible for furnishing the exhibition and creating fixtures, display cases and panels.
Environment: In the visual arts context, the term environment refers to the sum of all external influences and conditions that affect the creation and perception of artworks. The environment can be identified on a smaller scale (ex: the exhibition space of a gallery), or on a larger scale (ex: the political context of the place where the artwork was created).
Exhibition: A public showing of a collection of things (artifacts, artworks, goods, etc.). It is also called an exhibit. In a museum, gallery or artist-run center, the exhibitions often center on one thesis or theme. The artworks presented are then selected in accordance.
F
Form: The shape and structure of an artwork, which includes elements such as colour, line, shape, texture etc. The artist usually strives to marry form and content (what the work is about).
G
Gallery (Art): Any public or private space where artworks are exhibited.
H
Hybridization: The degree to which a technique or process is a product of two or more techniques or processes.
I
Installation: A work of art created to inhabit a specific architectural space, usually using several different mediums and engaging several of the viewer's senses such as sound, touch, etc. It is common for an installation piece to be interactive as a way of connecting with the environment in which is exhibited. This is a popular form of Contemporary art.
Interactivity: The degree to which a media art work allows information to be transferred immediately both to and from the work and the "observer", each thus having an effect on the other.
M
Media installation: In the visual arts context, a media installation refers to an artwork that was created by bringing together various media-based artworks in one designated space.
Medium: In visual arts, a medium is the material used to create an artwork, such as acrylic paint, granite, watercolour, wood, etc.
Mixed media: An artwork created using more than one medium.
Modern art: A general term that refers to the artistic period spanning from the late 19th Century to the first half of the 20th Century. Art created during this period focused largely on experimentation and challenging tradition. This period is defined by several artistic movements such as impressionism, abstract art, and Dadaism.
N
New media art: New media art involves the use of new media technologies to create artworks. Various forms of technology are used, such as the Internet, computer animation, interactive technology, biotechnology, etc.
P
Performance (art): An art from in which the actions of an artist or a group of artists at a particular place and in a particular time constitute the work. It can happen anywhere, at any time, or for any length of time.
Point of view: The angle from which something is seen or considered; for instance, head-on, from overhead, or from ground level.
S
Sketch: A rough, rapidly executed drawing.
Solo exhibition: An exhibition that features works created by only one artist.
T
Technique: The skills and tools used by an artist to manipulate mediums to create an artwork.
Traditional mediums: In contrast to new media art, traditional mediums represent the basics, such as painting, drawing, and sculpture.
im the king
Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6E2 Canada
613-233-8699 fax 613-569-7660 info@ottawaartgallery.ca