Art Glossary

Abstract art uses form, shape, line, and color to create a visual experience without attempting to represent external reality. The composition exists independently of the world's visual references, (...) read more

Abstract Expressionism is an art movement that emerged in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. Characterized by large, abstract canvases, the movement emphasized spontaneous, expressive (...) read more

Action Painting is a style of painting where the physical act of creating art—such as gestural brushstrokes, splashing or dripping paint, or moving and dancing while applying paint—is considered (...) read more

Viennese Actionism was a short-lived but intense art movement in the 20th century, emerging as part of the broader action art efforts of the 1960s. Known for its violent and provocative performances, (...) read more

Activist Art is a form of art created to address social and political issues. It often involves public engagement and works closely with communities to raise awareness or inspire change. While it can (...) read more

The Aesthetic Movement emerged in the late 19th century, emphasizing the beauty and sensual qualities of art over practical or moral considerations. It promoted the idea of creating art for its own (...) read more

American Abstract Artists (AAA) is an organization founded in New York City in 1936 to promote abstract art and its appreciation in the United States. At a time when abstract art faced strong (...) read more

Animation is the process of displaying a sequence of static images in rapid succession to create the illusion of movement. Each image, or frame, is slightly altered from the previous one, (...) read more

Anti-Art refers to artwork that challenges traditional definitions of art. The term is often attributed to artist Marcel Duchamp, who pioneered the use of readymades—everyday objects presented as (...) read more

Appropriation in art involves using pre-existing images or objects with little or no modification. This technique has played a significant role across various art forms, including visual arts, music, (...) read more

Art Brut, a French term meaning Raw Art, was coined by Jean Dubuffet to describe art created outside the conventional fine arts tradition. Dubuffet used the term to refer to works made by self-taught (...) read more

Art Fabrication is a process used in the production of technically challenging or large-scale artworks. It occurs when a designer or artist is unable to fully realize their concept or design on their (...) read more

Art Informel is a French term referring to the gestural and improvisational techniques common in abstract painting during the 1940s and 50s. It encompasses various styles that dominated these (...) read more

Art Intervention refers to art created with the intention of interacting with an existing situation, structure, artwork, audience, or institution. This form of art gained popularity in the 1960s as (...) read more

Arte Nucleare was the name of an artist group founded in Milan in 1951. The group aimed to create art that responded to the dangers and technologies of the nuclear age. Their works often utilized (...) read more

A movement and style in art that originated in Italy during the 1960s. It integrates elements of minimalism, performance art, and conceptual art by using everyday or seemingly worthless materials, (...) read more

A term coined to describe artworks that are designed to be destroyed during their creation. Gustav Metzger, who developed this concept, outlined key principles: the artwork must disintegrate within (...) read more

Automatism refers to a technique in the creative process that accesses material from the unconscious or subconscious mind. It is based on Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic method of free association. (...) read more

Avant-garde refers to innovative and experimental ideas in the arts that challenge established norms and conventions. Originating from the French term for advance guard, it describes both the (...) read more

Bauhaus was a school of art, design and architecture established in Weimar, Germany. Architect Wlater Gropius established it in 1919. Bauhaus used a method for teaching within a community of artists (...) read more

The Bay Area Figurative Movement, which also goes by the names Bay Area Figurative School, Bay Area Figurative Art, or Bay Area Figuration, came to existence in San-Francisco Bay Area. This was in (...) read more

A Chinese term that describes performance art. This concept is relatively new and may be challenging to articulate unless people understand the intentions behind it. It is a flexible concept that (...) read more

Body art involves creating art directly on or with the human body. Common forms include body piercings and tattoos, but it also encompasses practices like branding, scarification, scalping, body (...) read more

Browser art is a form of renegade art where artists use computers to transform code, website structures, and server links into visual material. These artists, often called net artists or net writers, (...) read more