- SMALL ART GLOSSARY -

Abstract: artistic style emerged during the 20th century, which does not represent the visible world: it is non-figurative and non-narrative and only portrays colors and shapes. The spectator doesn’t try to read a story or recognize characters but wanders off into a purely formal world. In the History of Art, one of its most famous representatives is the German painter Hans Hartung (1904-1989), who painted solely colored lines and shapes. At Carré d'artistes, the painter Daniel Reymann explores all kinds of textures and emotions, painted with great elegance.

Acrylic: painting created with colored pigments, mixed with an aqueous emulsion of synthetic resins. It emerged during the 20th century, it dries up very quickly and is known for its solidity. Very glossy, it is the shiniest painting technique. 

Art brut: Invented by the painter Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), this expression designates the works of self-taught people, not trained by any art school. Works of art brut have been acknowledged and collected right from the 20th century. At Carré d'artistes, C.Bost's works readily depicts children's drawings with their funny characters and simple houses, although each composition is smartly developed and unveils great talent as a colorist.

Cast iron: a technique in sculpture which involves making a sculpted object through fusion and molding. Emerged in the 19th century, it is mainly used in decorative arts - for example, for an ornate handrail of a staircase. Casting is an obligatory step to obtain a bronze sculpture. This can involves various processes: lost wax casting (only for a limited number of copies, and ideal for complex and large projects) and sand casting (ideal for a large number of reproductions of sculptures of small or medium size, but extremely rare today). For lost wax casting, the sculptor needs to produce a model (wax, plaster, stone or metal), then make a cast from that model, and cover it in wax. The bronze is then poured within, the wax melts and leads to a sculpture. Sand casting doesn’t differ much from lost wax casting but is simpler: there is only one sand mold. Since there is no wax mold, the artist doesn’t get the chance to change his work, one last time. 

Chassis-frame: wooden frame, which holds the painting on stretched canvas in place.

Collage: a technique which involves assembling with glue various elements (cut newspapers, manufactured products…). It became famous during the 20th century by the Surrealists, for its poetic ability of heterogeneous assemblies.

Cubism: artistic movement from the beginning of the 20th century, which breaks down shapes into geometric elements, painting, or sculpture. The term was coined by the poet Max Jacob (1876-1944), friend of the painter Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), who thoroughly explored the possibilities of Cubism.




 

Daily painting: A very sober style of painting whose subjects are intentionally simple and common (still life fruits or everyday objects).

Fauvism: painting movement and style that emerged during the early 20th century, based on the usage and juxtaposition of pure colors - in other words, vibrant and vivid. Henri Matisse (1869-1954) is the most famous representative.

Figurative: an artistic style which represents the form of something, that portrays the sensitive and visible world. The history of painting is dominated by figurative art. 

Floater frame: an elegant framing principle which gives the impression, through four assembled rough lumber battens, that the canvas is floating in its medium. Invented during the 20th century by an American, this type of frame leaves 1 to 2 centimeters between the canvas and the edge of the rod.

Gouache: water-based paint, covering and opaque (unlike watercolor which is more or less transparent), its binder is acacia gum. 

Graffiti: inscription, drawing or painting drawn on a wall. Recognized as artwork in the 20th century, graffiti is much older and dates back to prehistoric men, who also drew on walls (like in the Lascaux cave). Though today, one uses markers or spray while creating graffiti and it is banned in most public places. It can also be created on canvas or paper, and of course is in keeping with all possible surfaces.

Hyper-realism: style of painting and sculpture which represents objects, people and the world through great detail. Emerged during late 20th century, hyperrealism confuses viewers who may wonder if the painting is a photo, or if the sculpture is alive. The Australian sculptor Hans Ronald Mueck (b. 1958) is one of its most famous representatives. At Carré d'artistes, painters Sergi Castignani and Carlos Ferg apply this technique to landscape art: both of them paint city views in great detail. 




 

Illustration: an image which accompanies a text. It can be a drawing, a painting, an engraving, which can be reproduced in books or edited in limited edition. At Carré d´artistes, the illustrations regroup dreamlike works that boost the imagination but can be read without any text. The artist Elisabeth Davy-Bouttier mainly creates very unique universes, such as scenes of dreams or symbolic visions.

Impressionism: artistic movement during late 19th century. The idea is to paint reality as artists experience and perceive it. The canvases are small, the points of view new (because influenced by the recent appearance of photography), the brush strokes visible and fast. The artists painted outdoors, mainly in Paris and its suburbs. At Carré d´artistes, Catherine Vaudron and Ivica Petras like to choose simple subjects, just like the Impressionists (bouquets of flowers, landscapes), which they enhance through a beautiful chromatic palette.