Glossary
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Acrylic Glass (Plexiglas)
Made of acrylic resin or plastic. The strength of the material is higher than molding grades owing to its extremely high molecular mass.
Alienation
The act of making indifferent or hostile
Social alienation: the individual subject’s estrangement from its community, society or world.
Anthropomorphic
Imputing human form or attributes to a being or thing not human, especially to a deity; resembling or made to resemble a human form
Biennial
Any event that happens every two years. It is commonly used within the art world to describe an international manifestation of contemporary art.
Bocote
Ranging from light to golden brown in the heartwood, Bocote wood has a unique appearance that makes it desirable. It is dense and hard, and grows in the tropical America area. Black streaks also decorate the wood, giving it a varying pattern.
Cleavage
In general, cleavage refers to a division or separation of form (like a separation between or in any of the layers in a stratified construction), but its usage is constantly dependent on cultural a context and refers to the divisions of societies.
CNRS – Centre national de la recherche scientifique
The National centre for Scientific Research is a government-funded research organization. It is in charge of evaluating and carrying out all types of research for the advancement of knowledge and to bring social, cultural, and economic benefits for society.
Corian
Corian is the brand name for a solid surfacing material created by DuPont in 1967.
It is made from Plexiglas and bauxite (rock that has been crushed to a powder-like form) and moulded for all types of uses. It is scratch and fire resistant.
Derivative product
New product that results from modifying an existing product, and which has different properties than those of the product it is derived from.
Design
The term is tied to various applied arts and engineering. As a noun, it can mean either the design process or the result of the design process on the final product.
Diasec
The diasec is a registered technique aslo called "pleximontage method". The face of the printed picture from the original photograph sticks to the back of a transparent slab of plexiglas. Finishes are very detailed. From an artistic point of view, the colour contrast is accentuated and details are emphasized. From a technical point of view this method assures a complete absence of dust, air pockets and possible traces of glue. It also guarantees protection from UV, which can deteriorate colours.
Dimmer
A device used to control the intensity of light emitted by a luminary by controlling the voltage or current available for it.
DPLG
“Diplômé par le Gouvernement” means, literally, who has received a state diploma.
Edition
Set of identical prints or objects, often numbered and signed, that have been built by or under the supervision of the artist and are authorized for distribution.
Engraving
Is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat, surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result can be a decorated object in itself (as when silver, gold, steel or glass are engraved), or can provide a printing plate for images or texts editions.
Etching
Is the process of using strong acid (or mordant) to cut into metal surface to create a design.
Fluorescent lamp
A low-pressure mercury electric-discharge lamp in which a fluorescing coating (phosphor) transforms some of the ultraviolet energy generated by the discharge into light.
Graphic design
The term refers to a number of artistic disciplines which focus on visual and/or cultural communication and presentation. Various methods are used to create and/or combine symbols, images, drawing, typography etc to create a new visual support.
Graphics arts
Drawing, painting, engraving, etching, etc., together with their preparation for reproduction by printing.
In Situ
Is a Latin phrase meaning “in the place”. It refers to a work of art made specifically for a host site.
Installation
An artistic or theatrical work that involves or encompasses the spectator. A work of environmental art.
LED
A light-emitting diode (LED) is an electronic light source. LED’s present many advantages over traditional light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved robustness, smaller size and faster switching.
Multimedia
In art, multimedia is used for digital work as well to designate a piece that combines the use of several media.
Neon
Neon is a chemical element. Neon is a colourless, inert gas that glows when used in discharge tubes and neon lamps. Often used in signs, neon still referred to all other colours generated with other gases or fluorescent lighting.
Opaque
That doesn’t allow the transmission of light.
Orientalism
In general, Orientalism means a peculiarity or idiosyncrasy of the Oriental peoples.
Orientalism has also come to mean the adoption of typical eastern motifs, styles and subject matter in art, architecture, and design.
Palais de Tokyo
The Palais de Tokyo is an art Center in Paris dedicated to all forms of contemporary art. It emphasizes on encounters between artists and the public by letting artists express themselves directly as much as possible. The Palais de Tokyo offers the possibility for artists to be in residence (at the Pavillon), to have their first solo exhibits (at Les Modules) and also to take the scientific control of their exhibits by inviting them to curate their own exhibits. The Palais de Tokyo is alos present abroad (at Les Chalets).
Photo-engraving
A process in which photography is used to transfer onto the cut the illustration to be engraved.
Photography
The art or process of producing images on a sensitized surface by the action of light or other radiant energy.
Plastic arts
An art, such as painting or sculpture, in which forms are rendered in or as if in three dimensions.
Polychrome
Having many colours.
Poly-mirror
A finishing technique in which a metal surface (aluminium, steel) is polished several successive times in order to render the surface smooth and reflective (like a mirror)
Prospective
of or in the future
Proof
A trial impression of type or plates pulled to allow examination and correction of typographic or illustrative details.
Residence
For an artist to be « in residence » means that a public or private institution (museum, institute, art centre) gives him the means to complete an artistic project by providing a workshop and materials during a given period of time.
Transcultural
That which extends through all human cultures; "a transcultural ideal of freedom embracing all the peoples of the world"
Vanitas
In the arts, vanitas is a type of symbolic composition of painting or sculptures meant to be a reminder of the transience of life, the futility of pleasure and certainty of death.
Videomaker (vidéaste)
Persons who directs or does all the necessary operations to make a video document.
Video
Video is a technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing transmitting and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.
