Art Theory Vocabulary

adjective relating to or based on mental concepts or ideas

• The artist presented a conceptual framework for his latest project.
• I'm having trouble grasping the conceptual idea behind this new theory.
• I don't get the whole conceptual thing, it's too abstract for me.
• Her mind was a whirlwind of conceptual thoughts and ideas.

noun a person who adheres strictly to a particular form, especially in the arts

adjective relating to or characteristic of formalism, especially in the arts

• The formalist approach to literary criticism focuses on the structure and form of a text.
• Some people find formalist analysis of literature to be too rigid and limiting.
• I'm not really into all that formalist stuff when it comes to analyzing movies.
• She approached the problem with a formalist mindset, breaking it down into its basic components.

adjective relating to or characterized by strict adherence to prescribed forms or rules

• The judge criticized the lawyer for his formalistic approach to the case.
• The teacher doesn't like how formalistic the new curriculum is.
• I can't stand how formalistic my boss is about punctuality.
• His formalistic thinking was like a rigid wall, blocking any creative solutions.

noun a philosophical theory that there are no universal essences in reality and that the only reality is the individual objects of sense experience

• Nominalism is a philosophical theory that holds that universals or general ideas are mere names without any corresponding reality.
• I find nominalism to be a fascinating concept in philosophy.
• Some people think nominalism is just a bunch of mumbo jumbo.
• In the world of art, nominalism can be seen as focusing on the individual parts rather than the whole.