WRITING A BETTER ARTIST STATMENT
A Guide to Expressing Your Artistic Identity WHILE LOOKING PROFESSIONAL
An artist statement is a reflective piece of writing that offers insight into the heart of your artistic practice. It's not just a description of what you create, but a window into why you create, your influences, themes, and the materials you choose. Here's how to craft an artist statement that resonates and connects:
DO:
Describe your work.
Use narrative elements
Keep it concise
Have friends look over your statement
DONT:
Use complex “artspeak”
Repeat your CV or Bio
Forget to update.
ARTIST STATEMENT STRUCTURE
A good artist statement is under 1 page, often only 2-3 paragraphs.
PARAGRAPH 1
Lay out the story of your work. Introduce your motivation for making it.
PARAGRAPH 2
Describe your work physically.
PARAGRAPH 3
Describe your work conceptually, looping back to your motivation.
Start With Your Why:
Begin by exploring the core motivations behind your work. What drives you to create? This could be a personal journey, a social issue, or an exploration of certain aesthetics or materials. Your "why" is the foundation of your artist statement.
USING NARRATIVE
A good trick is to use a narrative approach to writing artist statments. A good story works on the formula “something happened and I reacted by doing this.”
EG “In 2000 the pandemic hit, seperating me from my community. So I became a licensed foster parent, exploring the connection between family and nurturing. My artwork speaks about this personal journey.
CHARACTER
Focus on character and conflict: Every good story has compelling characters and conflict. Choose characters who are relatable and complex, and create conflict that's meaningful and engaging.
USE SENSE DETAIL
Paint a vivid picture of your art using sensory detail to bring it to life for your audience. Use adjectives to describe what people see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. This will create a fully immersive engaging experience.
Be Specific
Rather than speaking in broad terms, delve into the specifics of your work. Describe the themes you explore, the techniques you use, and how these choices support your artistic goals. Specificity helps to paint a vivid picture of your practice.
Use Accessible Language
While it might be tempting to use complex jargon to sound more professional, clarity is key. Your statement should be accessible to a broad audience, including those who may not have a background in art. Aim for clear, straightforward language that invites readers into your world.
The Grandma Approach:
A good method to clarify your artist statement is to imaging your grandmother (or other older relative) was reading your statement. Imagine an older person who knows nothing about art, knows nothing about the art world. Where would they get stuck? Are there concepts you take for granted that should be explained?
Reflect Your Personality:
Your artist statement should be a reflection of you. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine through. Whether your tone is serious, playful, or introspective, a genuine voice will make your statement more engaging and memorable.
Keep It Concise:
An effective artist statement is brief, ideally no more than a few paragraphs. This concise approach forces you to distill your artistic practice down to its essence, making your statement powerful and to the point. It also lets busy curators and gallerists read it quickly!
Revise and Refine
Writing a compelling artist statement is a process. Start with a rough draft and then revise it, seeking feedback from peers, mentors, or other artists. This feedback can provide new insights and help you refine your statement to better articulate your artistic identity.
Update Regularly:
As your art evolves, so should your artist statement. Regular updates ensure that your statement accurately reflects your current work and artistic direction.
Developing a regular writing practice is important. Many artists rewrite their artist statement every year. Its a good exercise to reflect on what you are doing and what you hope to achieve with your artwork. If you are feeling stuck, ChatGPT is a great tool for starting an artist statement.
WHAT IF I HAVE TOO MANY SERIES
Many artists have a diverse body of work with many different series that dont seem to fit into one artist statement. We recommend having a general artist statement, pulling together your various interests into a coherent general narrative. Then write individual statements for each body of work! Dig down into what makes each series interesting and describe them in a few paragraphs. Having individual statements for each of your series is a great addition to your artist toolkit, making it easier to apply to future shows and opportunities.
CONCLUSION
Crafting an artist statement is an opportunity to articulate what sets your work apart and to invite others to understand and engage with your art on a deeper level. By following these guidelines, you can create a statement that not only complements your artwork but also deepens the viewer's experience, making a lasting impression.