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Research a Contemporary Artist

Introduction

Contemporary artists are often a very difficult subject to research. Many artists exist in a fringe world and prefer not to be evaluated by “mainstream” mechanisms. These artists could show up in an exhibition catalog but are unlikely to have books or traditional journal articles written about them. In addition, certain mediums and groups of artists are marginalized and under-represented in traditional research resources (like books and journal articles).

Choosing Keywords or Search Terms

When researching an artist, always start with his or her name as your keyword or search term. If the artist is part of a particular group or movement those names would be secondary keywords or search terms. Also pay close attention to art dealers, galleries, or exhibitions mentioned in a resource as these may provide additional clues to locating information on an artist.

Search for Information on the Artist

In order to guarantee that you have done a comprehensive search follow these four steps:

1. Search WorldCat for any publications that may include the artist, group, or movement. This will let you know if CU-Boulder owns any of these materials while ensuring a thorough search of published monographs.
    
2. Search the database ARTbibliographies Modern (ABM) for articles, reviews, exhibitions, etc. ABM is the most comprehensive database for researching the modern and contemporary visual world and includes citations and abstracts from books, journal and magazine articles, essays, exhibition catalogs, dissertations, and art exhibition and dealer catalogs.
    
3. Search LexisNexis Academic for exhibition reviews in newspapers. This is often the first place an artist is mentioned and can lead to additional clues for finding information such as art dealers, gallery names and other artists that this person is being exhibited with.
    
4. Search the Internet. The Internet is the best place to locate contemporary and under-represented artists. Look for a website maintained by the artist for biographies and bibliographies. Remember to place the name of the artist in “quotations” to ensure the best results. If you have found a personal website for an artist that contains contact information, send the artist an email of 3-4 carefully constructed questions. This may or may not provide fantastic leads for continuing research.

Need Additional Help?

If you have not found any information about a contemporary artist after following all of these steps or need additional assistance please contact the Art and Architecture Librarian at Jennifer.Parker@Colorado.edu to schedule an appointment.