The Artist Statement

A good artist statement will support your professional practice, for example:

• Giving brief information to support an exhibition or catalogue
• Submitting a proposal
• Applying for a grant

It should be:

• Concise
• Effective in communicating the details you wish to emphasize
• Written in the first person
• Written primarily in the present tense

It should be adaptable in order to take into account:

• Your audience
• Your purpose or motivation for writing it

It might contain information on:

What your motivation is for the work you do:

• What issues are you exploring and why?
• What concepts, themes or convictions underpin your work?
• How do your life experiences influence your work
• How does your personality influence your work?
• How have your ideas developed?

The techniques and materials you use:

•  How and why did you choose them?
• What scale do you work in?
• Do you have a particular process of working?
• Do you intend to explore other techniques or materials?

Your background:

• Are you a student or a practicing artist?
• Details of your educational history if you feel it appropriate
• Have you contributed to any prestigious shows or events?

How you contextualise your work:

• Where do you feel you fit into the Contemporary Art World?
• Does your work challenge the work of others?
• Have you appropriated or referred to the work of others?

• Your goals and aspirations and to what extent you have realised them
• Personal reflections on your work