Art of Business: The Craft of Writing

Exhibition view of Maurizio Nannucci solo show “What to see what not to see”, Galleria Fumagalli, Milano, 2017. Photo ©Antonio Maniscalco. Courtesy Galleria Fumagalli.

Guest Work Agency is your go-to source on art business – we want to provide you with useful insights, resources and tips on the day to day running of an art-oriented business.

In this Art of Business story, freelance art and design writer Emma-Kate Wilson talks us through the craft of writing and how important clear communication is for artists and art organisations. 

The craft of writing is built around clear and concise messages. Simplicity is key. By using language that is easy to understand, or at least useful, you can help build trust and integrity between the writer and the reader. As Gilda Williams writes in her introduction for 'How To Write About Contemporary Art'— "sharp art-writing can make art-viewing all the better" — we are tasked with putting the visual experience into written language.

Clear and precise, yet at times ambiguous to engage the readers' curiosity, art writing is instinctive; grounded in emotions, visuals, and that funny sixth sense. The secret of successful art writing can help us understand well-loved art pieces further, increasing our depth and understanding, with a touch of history and theory.

Art writers are trained to capture imagery through text, returning conceptual works to the written word. Not to be confused with an art theorist or academic, the art writers' job is to unpack artworks and reduce them to a shared language. Acclaimed art writers and critics may use their own interpretation to reveal elements in the artwork (such as connections to art history or unconscious bias) that the artist may not have seen themselves.

Both art and writing can be instrumental in revealing and anchoring art discourse within its time. AKA, making it actually relevant for those who see/read it. However, making it accessible to target audiences cannot be forgotten. As such, the writer is privy to the mind of the artist — often a somewhat ambiguous but colourful place — turning the abstract into concrete. Under these methodologies, the writer can employ their own artistic integrations—using the English language in experimental ways.

An art writer's role has changed through the years as social media has imploded (even more so after the digital world we all waded through in 2020). Now, more and more art organisations and businesses are reaching out to writers to help write social media captions and newsletters. With this format, writers, artists, curators, and gallerists can still be inspired to raise questions and expose pointed observations — through just a snippet of text.

Take The Museum of Modern Art in New York as an example. Their Instagram account allows them a direct connection to their audiences and highlights artworks in more depth, projecting straight into people's lives across the world. They also offer behind-the-scenes information and videos—such as walkthroughs with curators or even special features with stars like the late David Letterman.

In their most recent post, MoMA captures the audience’s attention through the eye-catching surrealist Laurie Simmons’s artwork, "Walking House", 1989; but the gallery draws us in further with a catchy first line: “TFW you haven't left the house since March”. The caption goes on to apply imagery and context through clear language, and even a couple of quotes from the artist. This little slice of text welcomes us in the visuals and history of the artwork—all in less than 200 words.

Alongside writing social media captions and newsletters, writers can be employed to take the painful process out of press releases, website text, exhibition essays, artist statements, sponsored content in magazines/online, and SEO-focused blogs. And while we don't doubt that an artist, curator or gallerist with a PhD can write, an experienced art writer can lift art up through words, freeing time for the making magic in the studio/gallery.

If you need help putting words together for essays, socials, or website copy, reach out to Emma-Kate for specialised art and design writing assistance here.