Art Terminologies and Jargons

CEBU, Philippines - While the word “art” is generally associated with paintings, drawings, sculptures and designs, the term didn’t always refer to visual creations, nor did it always point to what is largely viewed as “artistic feats” in today’s standards and norms.

Originally used in reference to “skill”, “art” was used in the English language in defining or describing almost known disciplines in the 13th century, applied in various fields of study and specialization – from pottery to math.

By the 16th century though, “art” saw more mileage as the word being used in describing the skills of those who paint, draw, sculpt or engrave.

By the 18th century, a distinction between “artists” and “artisans” was made more defined, which eventually paved the way for the rise of new artistic terms and jargons following after the growth and direction of art’s scope and bounds.

Here’s a quick take on three of the more commonly encountered art terminologies and jargons today.

Movements – Also popularly referred to as “artistic movements”, movements are often used by historians in describing or defining the periods of Western art in successive order, though a period’s scope and timeframe in reference to other periods is often debated and argued about by experts.

Generally, the progression of artistic movements is cataloged with the start of prehistoric art, then classic art (Byzantine), followed by the Renaissance, then Mannerism, then baroque, then rococo, then neoclassicism, then Romanticism, realism, modernism, postmodernism, ETC.

Today, artistic movement terms are typically used in describing the style or technique an artist implements in the creation of his/her works, not necessarily the time or period a particular work was made.

Temporal Art – Readers of The Freeman’s ArtLinks often encounter this term, which essentially points to works of art which require the passing of time for them to be appreciated – like musical scores or a song.

The term takes its name after “temporary”, which doesn’t necessarily mean that temporal art doesn’t last, but rather defines them as the opposite of “static” art in the way paintings and illustrations are “static” as works.

Modern and Contemporary Art – There’s a difference between “modern” and “contemporary art”, contrary to the general assumption that they are one and the same.

In the world of art, “modern art” refers to the Modernism period (approximately taking place between the 1890s to the 1960s), which essentially saw the birth of various “isms”, examples of which would include impressionism, post-impressionism, cubism, expressionism, surrealism and more.

When talking about works which had been made within the last few decades, contemporary art is often used in describing them as works that are made in now, made using a wide variety of materials and tools (even including digitally created works).

Generally, contemporary artists create masterpieces which take on various subject matters and themes, influenced by the established norms of the past and driven in extending the boundaries of the qualifiers of what defines art as art.

References:

Culture Currents of World Art, Albert Faurot

The Story of Art, E.H. Gombrich (FREEMAN)