Art

Installation art: immersive, site-specific and experiential visual art Installation art Installation art is three-dimensional, often site-specific work that transforms perception of space. It ranges from temporary, interactive environments to permanent public commissi…

Instrument An instrument is a tool, device or document designed to perform a specific function with precision, from musical and scientific devices to medical tools and legal or financial docu…

Irish dance: stepdance traditions, styles, music and modern influence Irish dance Overview of Irish dance, its principal styles (social and performance), key steps and rhythms, training and competitions, costume and shoes, history, and the global impact of shows…

Irony: types, uses, and distinctions Irony Irony is a rhetorical and literary device highlighting a contrast between expectation and reality. This article explains its forms, history, functions in literature and everyday sp…

Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art (Kanazawa) Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art Prefectural museum in Kanazawa showcasing Ishikawa’s traditional and modern art, regional crafts, and designated cultural properties; located beside Kenrokuen Garden and near the 2…

Ishy Bilady — National Anthem of the United Arab Emirates Ishy Bilady Ishy Bilady is the national anthem of the United Arab Emirates. Composed in 1971 by Mohammed Abdel Wahab and given lyrics in 1986, it praises unity, Islam, sacrifice and devotion t…

Islamic calligraphy Islamic calligraphy (Arabic calligraphy) is the artful, devotional and decorative practice of writing Arabic script used in manuscripts, architecture, objects and contemporary art;…

Italian Renaissance art: origins, styles, and major figures Italian Renaissance art An overview of Italian Renaissance art: its origins, key characteristics and techniques, major periods and artists, and its legacy in European painting and sculpture.

Italic: the slanted style in handwriting and type Italic Italic refers to a slanted, often cursive style of handwriting and a corresponding typographic style. Originating in Renaissance Italy, italics are used for emphasis, titles, forei…

Ivory (color) Ivory is a warm off-white hue with a faint yellow tint, named for the animal material. It is used in design and textiles for a soft, elegant neutral and evokes natural bone and tus…

Iwate Museum of Art (Iwate-ken-ritsu Bijutsukan) Iwate Museum of Art Prefectural art museum in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, focused on modern and regional artists; houses paintings, sculpture and rotating exhibitions and serves as a cultural hub for t…

Japanese Calligraphy (Shodō): Art, Tools, History and Practice Japanese calligraphy An accessible overview of shodō — its materials, styles (kaisho, gyōsho, sōsho), historical development, cultural roles, and contemporary practice in Japan.

Japanese idol: profile, industry, image and cultural role Japanese idol Comprehensive overview of the Japanese idol phenomenon: definition, industry practices, public image, fan culture, criticisms, career paths and international influence.

Japanese sword-making: history, methods, schools and cultural significance Japanese sword-making Overview of Japanese sword-making (materials, forging, tempering, schools and masters), its historical development, key characteristics, uses, and modern cultural status.

Japanese tea ceremony (Chadō) — the Way of Tea Japanese tea ceremony Formal Japanese ritual for preparing and serving powdered green tea (matcha). A cultural art blending aesthetics, utensils, architecture and Zen-influenced philosophy practiced in…

Japanese traditional dance: Odori, Mai, Kyomai and classical forms Japanese traditional dance An introduction to Japan’s classical dance traditions: origins, defining features of Odori and Mai, the refined Kyomai of Kyoto, performance contexts, instruments, training, and cu…

Jazz dance: origins, characteristics, and cultural impact Jazz dance Jazz dance is a performance and social dance tradition rooted in African American culture, evolving from early 20th‑century social steps to theatrical, film, and contemporary style…

Jean Erdman American dancer and choreographer (1916–2020) known for theatrical modern dance, mythic themes, and Broadway work. Winner of a 1972 Drama Desk Award for choreography.

Jedi Mind Tricks (hip hop group) Jedi Mind Tricks American underground hip hop group from Philadelphia known for dense, often dark lyrics and sample-based cinematic production by Stoupe; core members include Vinnie Paz and Jus All…

Jig (traditional dance and musical form) Jig A jig is a lively folk dance and its accompanying tune, associated mainly with Irish and Scottish traditions. Jigs use compound meters (commonly 6/8 and 9/8), come in several types…

Jive (dance) Jive is a lively, syncopated swing-derived ballroom dance in 4/4 time, developed in the United States and now part of International Latin competition; known for quick footwork, cha…

Joan Miró — Catalan painter, sculptor and pioneer of surrealist abstraction Joan Miró Joan Miró (1893–1983) was a Catalan painter, sculptor and ceramicist whose playful, pictographic imagery and experimental techniques helped reshape 20th‑century modern art.

John Baldessari: American Conceptual Artist (1931–2020) John Baldessari Concise encyclopedia entry on John Baldessari, the American conceptual artist known for appropriated photography, text-based works, printmaking, teaching, and a major influence on…

John Martin (1789–1854), English Romantic painter John Martin (painter) John Martin (1789–1854), English Romantic painter noted for monumental, theatrical biblical and historical scenes, dramatic lighting, and widely distributed engravings that shaped…

John William Waterhouse: life, style, and legacy of the late Pre‑Raphaelite painter John William Waterhouse Overview of John William Waterhouse (1849–1917), his artistic style, major works, themes from mythology and literature, career milestones, and lasting influence in British art.

Josef Albers: Painter, Educator, and Theorist of Color Josef Albers German-born American artist and teacher whose Bauhaus training, Black Mountain and Yale teaching, Homage to the Square series and Interaction of Color shaped 20th-century art educa…

Joseph Beuys — German artist, performance pioneer and theorist of social sculpture Joseph Beuys Joseph Beuys (1921–1986) was a German postwar artist known for performances, installations and the concept of 'social sculpture'. He blended materials, politics and pedagogy to res…

Jungle green Jungle green is a medium-to-deep green hue evocative of tropical foliage, used in design, fashion, and branding; it has named variants such as the Crayola shade introduced in 1990…

Kalasha (Kalash): the sacred Hindu pot — form, symbolism and uses Kalasha A kalasha (Sanskrit kalaśa) is a metal pot used in Hindu rites: an emblem of abundance, purity and welcome, often filled with water and crowned by leaves and a coconut.

Wassily Kandinsky: Pioneer of Abstract Art Kandinsky Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), Russian-born painter, printmaker and theorist, credited with helping to invent abstract painting; teacher at the Bauhaus and author of influential wr…

Karel Appel: Dutch Painter and CoBrA Artist Karel Appel Christiaan Karel Appel (1921–2006), Dutch painter, sculptor and founder member of CoBrA, known for exuberant, gestural paintings, vivid color and a deliberate 'childlike' immediacy…

Karl-Heinz Adler (1927–2018), German Concrete and Abstract Artist Karl-Heinz Adler German painter, graphic and conceptual artist associated with Concrete Art; known for geometric abstraction, prints and modular concrete reliefs created for many public buildings i…

Keith Haring American artist and activist (1958–1990) known for bold graphic imagery, public murals, subway drawings and work addressing social issues; founder of the Keith Haring Foundation.

Kerning in Typography: adjusting space between letterforms Kerning Kerning is the typographic adjustment of space between individual letter pairs to improve visual balance, legibility and aesthetic harmony in text and display settings.

Kingdom of Armenia Overview of the several historical Armenian kingdoms: the ancient Artaxiad/Arsacid polity, the medieval Bagratid state, and the later Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, plus their cultur…

Kiss: forms, meanings, history and social norms Kiss An overview of kissing: physical forms, cultural and historical variation, common types and meanings, social etiquette, and brief health considerations.

Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art Municipal art museum in Tobata, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, with a diverse collection of Japanese and Western art and a landmark building designed by Arata Isozaki.

Konartakhteh Konartakhteh is a city in Kazerun County, Fars Province, Iran. It is the administrative center of Kamaraj and Konartakhteh District. This article summarizes its location, administr…

Kristin Nelson American actress, primitive painter, and author known for her acting in television and a later career as a self-taught painter whose work attracted celebrity collectors.

Kryptos: the enigmatic sculpture of encoded text at CIA headquarters Kryptos Kryptos is a sculpture by Jim Sanborn installed at CIA Headquarters that contains four encrypted passages. Three have been solved; the fourth remains unsolved and has drawn cryptog…

Kunstakademie Düsseldorf (Staatliche Kunstakademie Düsseldorf) Kunstakademie Düsseldorf Leading German state academy of fine arts in Düsseldorf, known for influential teachers and alumni and for shaping postwar painting, sculpture and photography movements.

Kyoto National Museum Major art museum in Kyoto with collections of Japanese art and archaeology from the Heian to Edo periods; historic buildings, conservation work, rotating exhibitions and educationa…

Kyūdō: Japanese archery and the way of the bow Kyūdō Kyūdō is the Japanese martial art of archery that combines technical shooting with ritual, discipline, and aesthetic form. It emphasizes posture, breath, etiquette, and the unity o…

Kyushu Ceramic Museum (Kyūshū Toji Bunkakan) Kyushu Ceramic Museum Prefectural museum in Arita, Saga, devoted to Arita and Kyushu porcelain: collections, history from early 17th century, conservation, exhibitions, workshops and its role in Japan's…

Lady with an Ermine (Portrait of Cecilia Gallerani) Lady with an Ermine Leonardo da Vinci's small oil portrait of Cecilia Gallerani, painted c.1489–1490, noted for its psychological presence, technical subtlety and the symbolic ermine; now in the Czart…

Lambada — Brazilian partner dance and musical style Lambada Lambada is a sensual Brazilian partner dance that rose to international fame in the 1980s. Known for hip motion, close turns and short skirts, it blended regional rhythms and left…

Land of the Free (Belize national anthem) Land of the Free “Land of the Free” is the national anthem of Belize. Words by Samuel Alfred Haynes and music by Selwyn Walford Young, composed in 1963 and formally adopted upon independence in 198…

Las Meninas: Velázquez’s Complex Court Portrait Las Meninas Las Meninas is a celebrated 1656 oil painting by Diego Velázquez, famed for its complex composition, play of perspective and light, and enduring influence on Western art.