land art Also known as earth art or eart h-
works, land art uses the raw materials of the
natural world to make large-scale outdoor
s c u l p t u r e .
metaphor A visual or verbal comparison that
uses one thing to represent another.
minimal art A type of abstract art, primarily
three-dimensional, which often uses industrial
materials in geometric or repetitive ways.
m o d e r n i s mAn historical period and attitude
from the early to the mid-twentieth century
characterized by experimentation, abstraction,
a desire to provoke and a belief in progr e s s .
m o n u m e n t A public work of art, usually large
in scale, which commemorates a group of
people, historical event or ideal.
m u l t i c u l t u r a l Influenced by a diversity of eth-
nic, religious, cultural or national perspectives.
n a r r a t i v e The representation in art, by form
and content, of an event or story.
p e rf o r m a n c e Public, private or documented
(for example, by film, video, audio and
writing), performance art is a nontraditional
a rt form that features a performance activity
by or directed by an art i s t .
place A geographic or imaginary location,
landscape, origin or relation in space.
pop art A rt which draws its subject matter or
appearance from mass media and consumer
c u l t u r e .
p r o c e s s An artist's investigation, or the steps
the artist takes to make a work of art .
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n a l Works of art that depict
recognizable people, places or things, often
figures or landscapes.
abstract art At its purist, abstraction uses
shapes, colors and lines as elements in and
for themselves.
aesthetic Used to describe something as
visually based and beautiful or pleasing in
appearance and to the senses.
collaboration A working arrangement
between an artist and another person, gr o u p
or institution.
composition The arrangement of an art w o r k ' s
formal elements.
conceptual art Works of art in which the idea
is equally, if not more important, than the
finished product.
c o n s u m p t i o n The intake of objects, images
and popular ideas into one's home, body or
daily life.
c o n temporary art A rt made after 1 9 70o r
works of art made by living art i s t s .
c o n te n t The subject matter, concepts or
ideas associated with a work of art .
c o n te x t The location, information or time-
frame that informs how a work of art is
viewed and what it means.
c u l t u r e The system of beliefs, values and
practices that form one's life.
d e s i g n Relating to popular forms of art ,
including architecture, books, the Internet,
furniture and mass media.
f o r mThe shape and structure of a work of
a rt; formal elements include color, shape,
pattern and duration.
g r a f f i t i Markings, messages or art made on a
public surface, such as a building or a street
sign, that is not owned by the art i s t .
s i te - s p e c i f i c Works of art that that are tied to
a specific place and time; site-specific art is
sometimes impermanent.
s p i r i t u a l i t y A questioning of humanity's place
in the universe or an interest in self-reflection,
m o rtality and meditation.
s te r e o t y p e A generalized type, or a caricature
of a person, place or culture, often negative in
t o n e .
s t y l i z e d Works of art which conform to imag-
ined or invented visual rules.
t a g gi n g The act of writing graffiti; a tag is
often an artist's name or visual trademark.
te x t i l e Materials that are woven, knitted or
made from cloth.
g r a p h i c Flat, two-dimensional images,
including fonts, commonly used in advert i s i n g ,
posters, comic books and cart o o n s .
history painting Large-scale painting which
represents either historical events or scenes
from legend and literature.
iconography Symbols and images that have a
p a rticular meaning, either learned or universal.
identity How one views oneself, how others
perceive you and how a society as a whole
defines groups of people.
installation A work of art created for a
specific architectural situation, installations
often engage multiple senses such as sight,
smell and hearing.
works, land art uses the raw materials of the
natural world to make large-scale outdoor
s c u l p t u r e .
metaphor A visual or verbal comparison that
uses one thing to represent another.
minimal art A type of abstract art, primarily
three-dimensional, which often uses industrial
materials in geometric or repetitive ways.
m o d e r n i s mAn historical period and attitude
from the early to the mid-twentieth century
characterized by experimentation, abstraction,
a desire to provoke and a belief in progr e s s .
m o n u m e n t A public work of art, usually large
in scale, which commemorates a group of
people, historical event or ideal.
m u l t i c u l t u r a l Influenced by a diversity of eth-
nic, religious, cultural or national perspectives.
n a r r a t i v e The representation in art, by form
and content, of an event or story.
p e rf o r m a n c e Public, private or documented
(for example, by film, video, audio and
writing), performance art is a nontraditional
a rt form that features a performance activity
by or directed by an art i s t .
place A geographic or imaginary location,
landscape, origin or relation in space.
pop art A rt which draws its subject matter or
appearance from mass media and consumer
c u l t u r e .
p r o c e s s An artist's investigation, or the steps
the artist takes to make a work of art .
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n a l Works of art that depict
recognizable people, places or things, often
figures or landscapes.
abstract art At its purist, abstraction uses
shapes, colors and lines as elements in and
for themselves.
aesthetic Used to describe something as
visually based and beautiful or pleasing in
appearance and to the senses.
collaboration A working arrangement
between an artist and another person, gr o u p
or institution.
composition The arrangement of an art w o r k ' s
formal elements.
conceptual art Works of art in which the idea
is equally, if not more important, than the
finished product.
c o n s u m p t i o n The intake of objects, images
and popular ideas into one's home, body or
daily life.
c o n temporary art A rt made after 1 9 70o r
works of art made by living art i s t s .
c o n te n t The subject matter, concepts or
ideas associated with a work of art .
c o n te x t The location, information or time-
frame that informs how a work of art is
viewed and what it means.
c u l t u r e The system of beliefs, values and
practices that form one's life.
d e s i g n Relating to popular forms of art ,
including architecture, books, the Internet,
furniture and mass media.
f o r mThe shape and structure of a work of
a rt; formal elements include color, shape,
pattern and duration.
g r a f f i t i Markings, messages or art made on a
public surface, such as a building or a street
sign, that is not owned by the art i s t .
s i te - s p e c i f i c Works of art that that are tied to
a specific place and time; site-specific art is
sometimes impermanent.
s p i r i t u a l i t y A questioning of humanity's place
in the universe or an interest in self-reflection,
m o rtality and meditation.
s te r e o t y p e A generalized type, or a caricature
of a person, place or culture, often negative in
t o n e .
s t y l i z e d Works of art which conform to imag-
ined or invented visual rules.
t a g gi n g The act of writing graffiti; a tag is
often an artist's name or visual trademark.
te x t i l e Materials that are woven, knitted or
made from cloth.
g r a p h i c Flat, two-dimensional images,
including fonts, commonly used in advert i s i n g ,
posters, comic books and cart o o n s .
history painting Large-scale painting which
represents either historical events or scenes
from legend and literature.
iconography Symbols and images that have a
p a rticular meaning, either learned or universal.
identity How one views oneself, how others
perceive you and how a society as a whole
defines groups of people.
installation A work of art created for a
specific architectural situation, installations
often engage multiple senses such as sight,
smell and hearing.
