Joseph Meyerhoff Center for Career Development / Gateway 2nd floor / 1601 West Mount Royal Ave. Baltimore, MD 21217 / 410 225 2420 / careerde[email protected]
WHAT IS AN ARTIST STATEMENT?
An artist statement is text that accompanies and explains the artist’s
intentions of their body of work. A strong artist statement supplements
the visual information in a portfolio or exhibition so that the reader/
viewer can better understand it. Your artist statement should stand on
its own so that the reader can imagine what your work looks like even if
they have not seen it.
Length of an artist statement
An artist statement generally ranges between 100 – 300 words
unless the application instructs otherwise. A longer artist statement
might describe a large body of work, accompany an exhibition or be
used by curators, journalists, publicists, and critics. A shorter artist
statement might be used to address very specific information about
your body of work, and can be used as an introduction to documents
or applications. A super-short artist statement, or “elevator speech”
should be more-or-less memorized, so you can clearly articulate to
viewers what your work is about, both verbally and in writing.
Some dos & don’ts
• DO write a strong, compelling statement that
connects the viewer to your work
• DO develop a strong first sentence
• DO keep it as short as possible
• DO focus on topics that may not be apparent from viewing your work
• DON’T use ‘artspeak’, overly flowery or
pretentious language, or art jargon
• DON’T try to impress the reader with vocabulary
or extensive knowledge of art criticism
• DON’T announce what the viewer should feel, just clearly
express what you have accomplished
ARTIST STATEMENTS AND BIOS
how to tell your story
10 minute writing exercise
The best way to get started with an artist statement is to begin writing
about your work in a 10-minute brainstorming session. Do it quickly,
and don’t worry particularly about grammar or word-smithing. There is
no structure or format to this. Just write or type everything that comes
to mind about the piece.
Some questions to get you started
• What does it look like? (Size, colors, shapes, textures,
light, objects, relationships, etc.) Make your description visual.
• What inspired the piece and/or where does the impetus
for the piece come from, personally speaking?
• Talk about the work from a conceptual, thematic,
and/or emotional point of view
• Is there a central or guiding image or idea?
• What are its different elements and how do they affect each
other or interact?
• What kind of materials did you use/are you using to
create the work? Why?
• What was the process of development for the work?
• How does the work use space/relate to the surrounding
space? What would be the ideal space in which to exhibit
or present the work?
• How does this work fit into the overall flow of your
development as an artist?
• Where does it fit into (or relate to) your awareness of other
contemporary work?
Joseph Meyerhoff Center for Career Development / 1300 W Mount Royal Ave / Baltimore, MD 21217 / 410 225 2420 / 410 225 2528 / careerde[email protected]
Artist statement sample
I began using a typewriter for its obvious function – to record my
thoughts and ideas. Communicating is a crucial yet constant struggle
for me. The more I typed, the more the letters and words on the pages
began to take on a new function, a new language. My discovery of this
new language created with my typewriter and paper was one made up
of patterns and grids formed by punctuation marks: commas, colons,
apostrophes, and brackets. It was as if the typewriter was experiencing
a breakdown, and this breakdown was my breakthrough. I had
discovered a new way to communicate. There is an endless source
of information that can be created through a limited use of materials:
paper and a typewriter. I became, and am still, intrigued by this process.
—Allyson Strafella (Taken from The Artist’s Guide by Jackie Battenfield)
Experiencing writers block?
Invite some friends over for a studio visit, while having a conversation
about your work record what you are saying. Listen to your conversation
later and choose the best excerpts to put in writing. Listen carefully to
questions and comments about your work during critiques. Are some
questions asked more than others? This is what people want to know
about, and where you should focus your effort in your statement.
WHAT IS AN ARTIST BIO?
An artist bio is a summarized, narrative version of your resume, but
shorter and with more personality. They are used in your professional
package, as part of a catalogue at an exhibition, in publicity and printed
programs, and other promotional materials. Your artist biography
should integrate portions of your resume and artist statement.
In general, bios are more factual about you as an artist, whereas
statements are more about the ideas, concepts and techniques behind
your work.
Sample of an artist bio
Lu Zhang was born in Chongqing, China in 1983. She received her BFA
from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2004. Zhang has exhibited
in the US and abroad including shows at C. Grimaldis Gallery in
Baltimore, Randall Scott Gallery in Washington DC, and The Center for
Art and Culture in France. Her work has been reviewed in ARTnews, The
Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun and featured in New American
Paintings Magazine and Washington Spaces Magazine. In 2010, Zhang
received a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council for works on
paper. Lu Zhang lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland.
How to put it together
• Quality over quantity- keep your bio to one or two paragraphs
(especially for a young artist)
• Write about yourself in third person
• Include place of birth, education, and where you currently reside
• You may want to include information on your spouse
and children (if any)
• Consider creating a shortened version that can be easily sent to
galleries, reporters, collectors, and audiences
Further resources and tips
• New American Paintings (available in the Career Development Office)
• Battenfield, Jackie. The Artist’s Guide. Philadelphia: De Capo Press,
2009.
• Bhandari, Heather Darcy and Jonathan Melber. Art/Work. New York:
Free Press, 2009.
• Also make sure to visit galleries/museums and collect your own
examples.
• Make sure to share what you have written with your faculty and peers
to get feedback.
• Remember that this is a living document that will continually change
with your and your work as it develops.
Joseph Meyerhoff Center for Career Development / 1300 W Mount Royal Ave / Baltimore, MD 21217 / 410 225 2420 / 410 225 2528 / careerde[email protected]
FINE ART BIOS
In General:
Writing in Third Person is most common (He, She, They)
This should be a short narrative of your professional art career
May Include:
• Education:
Degrees, Training, Apprenticeships
• Career Highlights:
Key Exhibitions, Publications, Collections, Awards, Residencies
• Personal:
Where you live/work now (may include where you
were born or grew up)
New (Fine Artist) Bio
(Artist Name) was born in (Year) in (Town, State or Country). In (Year),
she received her (degree) in (subject) at (University). (Last Name) has
already been included in various important exhibitions including (“Title”)
at (Venue, City, State) and (“Title”) at (Venue, City, State). This year, she
will attend (Residency or Special Program). Upcoming shows include
(“Title”) at (Venue, City, State). (Last Name) currently lives and works in
(City, State).
Emerging (Fine Artist) Bio
(Artist Name) lives and works in (City, State) and was a (Year) recipient
of a (Grant / Scholarship / Something Important). He has exhibited
in solo exhibitions at (Venue, City, State) and (Venue, City, State). His
numerous group exhibitions include (“Title”) at (Venue, City, State)
and (“Title”) at (Venue, City, State). (Last Name) was honored with the
(Title of Grant / Award) in (Year). Public Collections include (Name) and
(Name). He is currently working on (describe work in a few words) for
(“Title”) at (Venue, City, State) in (Year).
Midcareer (Fine Artist) Bio
(Artist Name) received her BFA in (Year) from (University) and her MFA
in (Year) from (University). She was a member of the (Art/Art History/
other) faculty at (University) for the last (#) years. (Last Name)’s work
has been written about in (Publication), (Publication) and (Publication).
She has been actively involved in guest residencies and lectures
(Nationally / Internationally). Her Works are included in the public
collections of (collection), (collection) and (collection). Solo exhibition
venues include (Venue, City, State), (Venue, City, State). Group
exhibitions highlights include (“Title”) at (Venue, City, State) and (“Title”)
at (Venue, City, State).
DESIGNER / ILLUSTRATOR BIOS
In General:
First person most common (I, My)
Professional, but Less Formal Tone
Consider Reverse Chronological Order
May Include:
• Professional Identity:
Type of Work You Produce
• Career Highlights:
Press, Awards, Publications, Employers, Clients
• Personal:
Where you live/work now (may include where you
were born or grew up)
• Call for Action:
Let’s work together, Contact me for…
Simple with Live Links:
I’m a .
I help make/build .
When I’m not , you can find me .
Want to work together? I’d love to hear from you.
