Writing an artist statement
There are a few different types of artist statements. You must know what kind of statement to write in different situations.
Artist statements can focus on a few different things:
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Your practice as a whole - what are the broad themes of your practice, what materials do you use, why do you make work about the things you do, how do formal and conceptual decisions shape meaning, how do you expect audiences to receive or engage with your work...
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A specific artwork or body of work (aka an artwork/project description) - what does the work look like; what is it made of; what are the main concepts and inspirations behind the work; what processes, techniques, or materials did you use and how do they contribute meaning; how does this work fit into your broader practice and contemporary culture at large; how is the work meant to be received, what is it's ideal mode of presentation...
Do not confuse an artist statement with...
- An artist bio
- A CV
- A statement/letter of intent
- A proposal
- A technical document
Each of these are separate types of documents that you typically compile for professional opportunities as an artist. Each serves a specific purpose, and do not overlap in their content.
Why do we write artist statements?
- To share our practices
- To describe and document artworks
- To build a professional portfolio to showcase work
Artist statements can be different lengths. The requested length determines the amount of detail you include. Make sure to hit all the key points of an artist statement. These key points are not optional. They need to be addressed in order for the person reading the statement to understand the depth and complexity of your work. It's up to you how you approach these key points in your writing style, but generally statements follow a similar format.
Artwork Statements
Answer what the work is, what it explores, how it does so, and what it draws on.
The goal of this type of artist statement is to convey essential information about a piece, so that someone who hasn't seen the work before, can understand it what is, what it looks like, and what the work does.
- Visual description - What is the thing that you made? What does it look like and what is it made of?
- Concept/Research - What is your relation to it, your understanding of it, or your interpretation of it? Are there any essential ideas to convey so that an audience can understand the work? Is your subject niche? Do you need to provide definitions of your working concepts or describe your personal, sociopolitical, or artistic concerns in order for the work to be understood?
- Form, process and technique - How does the work respond to your motivations and concept? What technical processes did you use to create the work, and how do they contribute to the overall meaning of the work? How does the work function or operate?
- Motivations (personal, social, political, or artistic) - What is your intention behind making this work? Why is this subject important to you? What is your critical stance or perspective on your subject? Why is it important today? Is it personal, political, or social? Why should this subject matter?
- Outcomes and desired audience reception - How is the audience meant to encounter the work? What do you hope for them to take away from it?
Writing tips
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Use an active and professional voice in present tense. Avoid hedging and unconfident language.
- This work attempts to highlight... -> This work highlights...
- I tried to created... -> I created...
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Speak about the work, not about you in relation to it. What does the work do, draw on, speak about, explore, imagine, etc...
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Avoid narrative writing about your decisions and process.
- NO: "I did this, then that, and finally landed at this."
- YES: Speak about what's in the final work, not how you made decisions along the way.
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Write in plain language. Skip jargon and artspeak. If a smart friend outside of the art world can't understand it, rewrite it until they can.
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Avoid filler verbs, overly flourishing language and adverbs, and vague nouns.
- NO: "deals with", "is about", "kind of", "sort of"
- YES: traces, confronts, reframes, layers, examines, unsettles, etc...
- "deeply explore" -> explores
- "powerfully evokes" -> evokes
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Be specific. Name materials, imagery, ideas, subject matter.
- OK: "mixed media explorations"
- BETTER: "fragments of found fabric stitched onto cracked plaster"
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Name your references and context. Situate yourself in your subject and position.
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Avoid sweeping claims.
- "This work speaks to the human condition" is broad an unspecific. Narrow your focus to what the work addressed.
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Keep it short. 100-300 words is more than enough. Every sentence should be important, holding information and weight.