About this video

• Video Title: 20251113- Session - "Les essentiels" - "Le dossier d'artiste"
• Channel: christelle - Les Hang'ART
• Speakers: Christelle
• Duration: 01:38:50

Overview

This video is the fifth session of "Les essentiels," focusing on creating an artist's portfolio (dossier d'artiste). It explains the importance of this document for professionals, how to differentiate between a biography and an artistic statement, and provides guidance on structuring and compiling the necessary information for an effective artist portfolio. The session also includes interactive discussions and Q&A with participants.

Key takeaways

• Importance of the Artist Portfolio: The artist portfolio is a crucial professional document that helps artists present their work to professionals, leading to opportunities for exhibitions, residencies, and funding.
• Creating a Comprehensive Portfolio: It's recommended to create a more extensive initial portfolio (30-50 pages) from which specific sections can be selected for tailored submissions to different professionals, rather than creating a new portfolio from scratch for each application.
• Distinguishing Biography and Artistic Statement: The biography focuses on the artist's career journey and significant achievements, while the artistic statement explains the "why" and "how" behind their work, its themes, and techniques. Both should be personal and avoid generic phrasing.
• Structuring the CV and Portfolio: Key elements for a CV include educational background, exhibitions (solo/group), collaborations, awards, and press mentions. For the portfolio, high-quality images of artwork are essential, with clear labeling of title, year, medium, technique, and dimensions.
• Professional Presentation: The overall document needs to be well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to read, with a focus on clarity and conciseness, especially since professionals often spend only a few minutes reviewing submissions.

Here are the answers to your questions:

1. What is the recommended length for a final artist portfolio that is sent to professionals? The final artist portfolio sent to professionals should ideally be between 12 and 15 pages long, serving as a concise selection from a larger, more comprehensive document.

2. How can an artist ensure their artistic statement is personal and not filled with cliché phrases? An artist can ensure their artistic statement is personal by placing their own first name before sentences. If a sentence can be attributed to someone else, it's likely too generic and needs to be rephrased to be specific to the artist's unique perspective. Avoiding overused terms like "emotion," "beauty," and similar platitudes is also crucial.

3. What information should be included in the "contact" section of an artist portfolio? The contact section should include your full name, city and postal code, phone number (optional), and clickable links to your website and social media profiles. A professional email address, also clickable, is essential.

4. What is the difference between a portfolio meant for professionals and one for collectors, specifically regarding pricing? When sending a portfolio to professionals for applications or exhibitions, it's conventional not to include prices. However, if the portfolio is intended for a collector, including pricing information is acceptable and often expected.

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