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Artist Statement. What is it? How to write one. What is an artist statement?.
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Artist Statement What is it? How to write one
What is an artist statement? An artist statement is a general introduction of your work as an artist. It is the what, how, and why of your work, from your own perspective. It helps you convey the deeper meaning or purpose of your work to your audience
Start with the basics • Jot down some basic information about the photos included in your portfolio. Are they color? Do they have a common theme? Were they all taken in a similar location? Having a short list of details will help later when you are trying to tie everything together.
Try not to get too technical • Nobody reading the statement will care if you shot with a Canon 5D or if Photoshop is your post-processing software of choice. If there are some truly unique elements involved in the work (printed on a special material or you shot through a hand-crafted lens, for example), feel free to include that information. Otherwise, leave out the details about your gear. • Don’t include terms like, over/underexposure, blown out, Photoshopped, processed, rule of thirds, depth of field or other technical terms. Most of the time, your audience has no idea what these things mean.
What would you like someone else to say of this work? • This is possibly the best way to get to the heart of why you took these photos. If you would love for someone to say “these photos bring sunshine to my home”, then you already have a pretty good starting point for your statement. Lead off with something like “I have done my job as an artist if these photos bring happiness and warmth to your home”.
Share your background and history • All too often, artist’s statements are all about the art and don’t go into any detail about the artist. How long have you been doing this kind of art? Why did you start? Why do you enjoy it?
Try not to pat yourself on the back too much • It is fine to say you are proud of this body of work, but try not to go overboard with the self praise. I have seen statements that say things like “an expert of her craft, this photographer captures beauty in a way that nobody else has”. I understand the value of confidence and selling yourself, but these kinds of descriptions will be a turnoff to a lot of people.
Artist Statement Example Artist Statement: • I was lead to photography because I’ve always liked taking photographs. From the time I was little, I loved having a camera in my hands. I thought it would be a fun class to embrace something that I already enjoy doing. I also had some friends and family members who took pictures so they encouraged me to become more educated on how to take better photos. I like being creative and I was intrigued to be challenged with a subject area I really knew nothing about. I quickly learned there was a huge difference about just taking a snapshot versus a good fine art photo. This sparked more interest in me to progress and try harder. • My inspiration comes from photographers who have used their photos to change the world. I like pictures that make a huge statement and alter people’s perspective. I’ve seen different artists do that on many different levels whether it’s a landscape photograph, like Ansel Adams work, or whether it’s a picture by J.R., who uses his photos to express people’s commitment, freedom, identity and limit all around the world. It’s awesome to see how people can use their artwork to do something to make a difference, especially on such a large scale. It brings inspiration to stand out on a higher level or take bigger risks. • I like to take photographs that emphasize lines, pattern and texture. I really like landscape and architecture photos because I enjoy the scenery and challenging myself by having to photograph concrete objects or scenery that cannot be changed. I love how someone can see something the same way every day, but in the photograph I can put it in a unique perspective to alter its natural beauty or amplify its distinguishing characteristics. I like abstract as well, because it also enhances specific elements but it also challenges me to get creative. It’s great to portray certain moods or feelings in a photo, when the object being taken isn’t even clearly identified.
