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Aberdeen Art Gallery - Arts glossary Category: Arts > Arts and crafts Date & country: 28/03/2011, UK Words: 27

Access
Gain access to; be able to reach, approach, enter.

Applied Art
Applied art refers to the application of design and aesthetics to objects of function and everyday use. Whereas fine arts serve as intellectual stimulation to the viewer or academic sensibilities, the applied arts incorporate design and creative ideals to objects of utility, such as a cup, magazine or decorative park bench.

Archaeology
The scientific study of past human cultures by analysing the material remains (sites and artefacts) that people left behind.

Art Object
In fine art, a work of art (or artwork or work) is a creation, such as a song, book, film, video game, print, sculpture or a painting, that has been made in order to be a thing of beauty in itself or a symbolic statement of meaning, rather than having a practical function.

Artefact
Any element from the collections of a museum, which falls under that museum's mission to preserve and make better known these elements: objects (clothes, furniture, toys, etc.), images (photographs, paintings, engravings, etc.) or manuscripts (letters, diaries, etc.). Man made object, made my human hands.

Canvas
Strong, woven cloth traditionally used for artists' supports. Commonly made of either linen or cotton thread, but also manufactured from man-made materials such as polyester.

Composition
In a general sense any piece of music or writing, or any painting or sculpture, can be referred to as a composition. More specifically, the term refers to the way in which an artist has arranged the elements of the work so as to bring them into a relationship satisfactory to the artist and, it is hoped, the viewer.

Contemporary Art
Term loosely used to denote art of the present day and of the relatively recent past, of an innovatory or avant-garde nature. In relation to contemporary art museums, the date of origin for the term contemporary art varies. The Institute of Contemporary Art in London, founded in 1947, champions art from that year onwards.

Content
Content generally refers to the subject matter, meaning or significance of a work of art, as opposed to its form.

Copyright
Copyright is a form of intellectual property which gives the creator of an original work exclusive rights for a certain time period in relation to that work, including its publication, distribution and adaptation; after which time the work is said to enter the public domain

Curator
Curator (from Latin cura, care) means manager, overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution (e.g., archive, gallery, library, museum or garden) is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections.

Digital Image
A digital image is a representation of a two-dimensional image.

Edition
A series of identical impressions from the same printing surface

Excavation
Excavation is the best known and most commonly used within the science of archaeology. In this sense it is the exposure, processing and recording of archaeological remains. The term is also used for an example of the application of the technique to the study of a given site. In this sense, an excavation may sometimes be referred to as a "dig" by those who participate, this being a concise, if ov...

Exhibition
Exhibitions are traditionally the space in which art objects or artefacts (in the most general sense) meet an audience.

Fine Art
This type of art is often expressed in the production of art objects using visual and performing art forms, including painting, sculpture, dance, theatre, architecture, photography and printmaking. Schools, institutes, and other organisations still use the term to indicate a traditional perspective on the art forms, often implying an association with classic or academic art.

Gallery
A room, series of rooms, or building devoted to the exhibition and of works of art, art objects and artefacts.

Heritage
Something that is passed down from preceding generations; a tradition.

Landscape
Landscape art depicts scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests. Sky is almost always included in the view, and weather usually is an element of the composition.

Link
In computing, a hyperlink is a reference, link, or navigation element in a document to another place, such as another section of the same document or to another document that may be on or part of a (different) domain.

Maritime
Connected with the sea in relation to navigation, shipping, etc.

Museum
A building or place where works of art, scientific specimens, or other objects of permanent value are kept and displayed.

PDF, Adobe Acrobat
Portable Document File (PDF) that can be downloaded if the appropriate programme is installed in your personal computer. You can download the latest version here. http://www.adobe.com/uk/

Portrait
A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant.

Volunteer
A person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking for a temporary time period.

Work Experience
An academic programme that enables secondary or university students to gain work experience and make money while continuing their studies.

A3 and A4
A4 size is 21cm x 29.7cm, and A3 size is 29.7cm x 42 cm.