Before you read:
This project was about analyzing writing samples in a specific genre and figuring out what we could learn from patterns in the genre’s writing. I chose to analyze artist statements, so my process for approaching this project included finding interesting statements, adding an appropriate piece of artwork to give context for the statement, and writing my own commentary on what each sample did. I tried to keep my approach to these simple tasks so that my audience wouldn’t feel isolated by anything too abstract! I ultimately learned from this project that there is no one correct way to write, and variation in a genre (and writing style) is because of a piece’s unique situation and audience.
Introduction
Artist statements, in short, are meant to describe an artist’s direction in their work or who they are. In general, these statements are around one to two paragraphs long and give context as to who an artist is, what they do, and why they do it. I mostly chose this genre because I was curious about it; I think it gets a bad rap for having bad writing (the artists, after all, are more experienced letting their art do the talking) and being unnecessary to the art experience. However, I like that, done correctly, it helps to give a new perspective on what an artist is trying to do or has already done. Every example is very personal; the “don’t use pronouns” rule that I was taught in school is tossed out the window, and the author is allowed to express some innermost thoughts and ideas. But why is there such a variety in the writing? Is there no one way to create an artist’s statement? I suspect the answer may lie in the varied nature of the art itself: every artist has a different style and purpose, so it only seems logical that the summaries of their work would vary because of that. If this is true, then this may also mean that writing, as a whole, has no one “correct” answer or cookie-cutter method to write successfully. I analyzed a few artist statements in an effort to answer these questions.
Click on the artwork below to read an analysis on the respective artist’s statement!
So what does all of this mean?
In summary, despite the common purpose to give reasoning behind an artist’s work, artist statements are one of the most varied genres in professional writing. Artists write about everything from their personal experience to their process and their vision. Exceptional statements, in addition, will intrigue the reader by catching their attention with a visual or “feeling” that they are trying to portray. All of this variation is because every author is trying to capture the visuals they create in words; the result is a personalized, unique story told with the combination of art and the statement.
What does this mean for student writers like me? This tells me that not only is there more to writing than essays, but it also tells me that there is no one correct way to write. As long as what you create gets your message across, then your writing has done its job. I think another important thing to take from this is that you can take whatever approach you need to when writing. The result depends on the situation and the audience, so your content can and will vary because of that.
About my sources
One of the most common ways for an artist to display their portfolio now is through a website, so some of these sources are the artist’s personal websites. It’s a great place to look at more of their work and learn about the artist as a person, so take a look at them! If they don’t have a website, museums that display that person’s work will have a section set aside on their own website where you can read more about all of the artists in their exhibit. That is where my other sources come from. You can find each website underneath my analysis for its respective artist statement!