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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

artiste en permanence

English translation:

artist on permanent display

Added to glossary by Lorraine Dubuc
Sep 13, 2017 16:56
6 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term

artiste en permanence

French to English Art/Literary Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
The text simply says that the artist was chosen as an "artiste en permanence" at a gallery in France.

I'm not sure of (and haven't had much luck finding) the appropriate term at English-language museums and galleries.


Can anyone help?


Thank you!
Proposed translations (English)
3 +4 artist on permanent display
4 +2 artist whose work is on permanent exhibition
4 +2 regularly featured artist
3 +2 permanent collection artist
Change log

Sep 19, 2017 12:30: Lorraine Dubuc changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/113553">Alison Imms's</a> old entry - "artiste en permanence"" to ""artist on permanent display""

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (1): Yvonne Gallagher

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Discussion

Lorraine Dubuc Sep 16, 2017:
With 'artiste en résidence' you lose the idea of permanently. En résidence is temporarily.
Laurette Tassin Sep 16, 2017:
I agree with Christopher's idea of artist in residence.
Laurette Tassin Sep 16, 2017:
I had not read through all the posts in the discussion, now I have: I checked the information concerning France Houle "artiste en permanence" at Galerie Kaf Art...http://www.galeriekafart.com/FHoule.html

And I find that FH is actually working at the gallery as a teacher and an assistant manager....

ACTIVITÉS PROFESSIONNELLES

Responsable du volet enseignement à L’Atelier Kaf Art
Assistante à la direction des arts visuels à la Galerie Kaf Art
Enseignante –La peinture, un monde de création
Christopher Crockett Sep 15, 2017:
Alison has the answer or, at least, a loose grip on a greasy pole on a slippery slope on the way to the answer.

Yeah, ask the client what the hell it means.

Good idea.

And I agree, Charles, it wouldn't make much sense for an artiste of Carson's $tanding to be engaged in any kind of indiscriminate smoozing en permanence --only on $pecial occa$ions, for particular client$.
Charles Davis Sep 15, 2017:
@Christopher Because it just doesn't ring true. Being chosen as an "artiste en permanence" in Alison's context, and other cases cited here, is clearly CV material, a feather in an artist's cap. I can't imagine a painter like this Carson character, who is very superior, collecting the keys to the gallery and showing people round. It seems to me that "permanence" simply means different things in different places.
Alison Imms (asker) Sep 15, 2017:
Given the unexpected level of discussion and speculation over the specific meaning of this phrase I have sent the question to the client. I'll keep you posted!
Lorraine Dubuc Sep 15, 2017:
The text simply says that the artist was chosen as an "artiste en permanence"

How can an artist 'assurant la permanence' meaning guarding the place can be 'chosen' if it is not of her of his own will, I ask my self... The artist was chosen the text says.
Christopher Crockett Sep 15, 2017:
Well, I'll be jiggered Nice catch, Charles!

You've found "artiste de permanence" and "artiste en permanence" in multiple, independent places, with the concept of "une permanence" designating exactly what Laurette suggests.

So, what's your objection to this meaning not being the case in Alison's text?
Charles Davis Sep 15, 2017:
Manning (personing?) the gallery I don't think that can be what it means here, but it's fair to say that "permanence" can be what Laurette suggests. The following is on a municipal art exhibition (so a different context: public sector). It's very DIY:

"Deux à trois artistes assurent collectivement une permanence pour garantir la surveillance des deux salles [...]
Chaque artiste de permanence désigné pour l’ouverture de l’exposition devra retirer les clefs à l’accueil de la Mairie et les déposer dans la boîte aux lettres situées sur le parvis de l’hôtel de ville à la fermeture. [...]
Un "petit manuel de l'artiste en permanence" contiendra :
- des conseils et recommandations pour l’accueil et l’accompagnement du public dans l’exposition [...]"
https://www.mairie-orsay.fr/medias/library/culture/reglement...

And "permanence" implies physical presence here too (on Avignon):

"C’est un concept qui est différent des galeries puisque dans ces dernières les œuvres d’art sont dénuées d’univers et il n’y a pas l’artiste en permanence. Là, le concept est inverse et n’est pas en opposition, le public va rencontrer l’artiste"
https://www.boiteaculture.com/avignon-lart-secrit-en-majuscu...
Christopher Crockett Sep 15, 2017:
Laurette's suggestion is almost a good one.

There might well be an artist who was exhibiting, along with others, in a group show at a commercial gallery who was also the one (among the group) who was designated --or volunteered-- to be "permanently" available during gallery hours to greet the public, answer their questions, schmooze 'em, etc.

And, theoretically, that person *could* be designated as *l'artiste en permanence* --the "permanence" being limited here to the duration of that particular show (i.e., a permanence "en principe").

But, is that really likely?

I'd say, No.
Laurette Tassin Sep 15, 2017:
There is not much context, but I was wondering if it couldn't be the artist manning the gallery, if it is a group show for instance the gallery might ask artists to take turns : *l'artiste en permanence* would therefore be whomever was scheduled on a given day....
Christopher Crockett Sep 14, 2017:
Lorraine's suggestion "permanently represented by this gallery" sounds about the best solution yet --it's not that any given work is on "permanent" display, nor even that an example of this artist's work is *always* on display, but that the artist is permanently represented by this gallery (in a particular city).

Presumably, there would be a contract between the two which would give the particular gallery exclusive rights to display (and, btw, sell) this artist's work in a particular city --or, perhaps, even world-wide.
Philippa Smith Sep 14, 2017:
featured artist I have to say I think it simply means a featured artist = an artist whose work is regularly on display at the gallery.
e.g. http://teachban-artgallery.com/featured-artists/
I don't think a small gallery would have any artist's work permanently on display, even the ones they represent, but I could be wrong...
Charles Davis Sep 14, 2017:
PS May I just say that in my view it makes perfect sense to refer to an artist being on display, meaning that his or her works are on display. This is known as metonymy.
Charles Davis Sep 14, 2017:
However... The trouble is that if an artist is represented by a gallery, he/she is almost bound to be on regular if not literally permanent display there, and vice versa; it's very hard to say which it means.

Looking a little further into the Charles Carson case, I'm inclined to agree with Lorraine after all. He is undoubtedly represented by the Richelieu Gallery. He's also said to be "artiste en permanence" there. But that doesn't prove that the latter means the former. On his website, under "Contact>Galeries", it says:

"Galerie d’art Richelieu
[...]
Charles Carson, grand maître en beaux-arts, exposition permanente"
http://www.charlescarson.com/?page_id=5484

So I'm inclined to think that is probably the meaning of this phrase after all.

But I'd be very happy for anyone else to suggest the other idea.
Charles Davis Sep 14, 2017:
@Alison Charles Carson and the Galerie Richelieu was the example that first suggested this idea to me. He seems to be a big name and there's quite a lot of stuff about him in English. It's striking, by the way, that so many of the examples of this not very common term come from Canada.

Representation is a crucial issue for working artists. They usually sell their work through a gallery that represents them. It's a very good deal for the gallery, which commonly takes about 50-75% of the sale price in commission, but the artists can't manage without them. Major artists can have more than one representative; Carson has lots.

Maybe I'll put this possibility on the table for Alison (Imms) to consider.
Alison MacG Sep 14, 2017:
Hi Charles I had been thinking along the same lines as you and found lots of examples in English, but only one suggesting it might be an equivalent for the French.
Charles Carson, artiste en permanence à la Galerie d’art Richelieu de Montréal.
http://charlescarson.ca/?p=3225
Charles Carson is permanently represented at the Galerie Richelieu
https://issuu.com/fineartmagazine/docs/fall_2009_fine_art_ma...

Grayson Vario ... many well-known galleries around Australia secure him as a permanently represented artist
http://www.davidhartgalleries.com.au/show_artist_biography.p...
Dylan Waldron is permanently represented by the Goldmark Gallery
http://www.leicestersocietyofartists.co.uk/lsa-artists/Dylan...
Invited to be permanently represented at Misho Gallery
http://xavierphelp.zenfolio.com/the-artist
Charles Davis Sep 14, 2017:
Thanks I'll think about it.
philgoddard Sep 14, 2017:
Charles If you put "represented artist", I'll vote for it.
AMcLester Sep 14, 2017:
Try "Resident artist"
Alison Imms (asker) Sep 14, 2017:
Hi Phil, the gallery is Galerie ROME in Grenoble. I believe it's commercial but it doesn't have a website and I can't find much information about it. Even if it is commercial, though, I tend to think that being on permanent display is still possible without being a "failure" for not selling. I would understand this to mean that the works vary but the gallery makes sure that there are always (or almost always) works by that artist...
Charles Davis Sep 14, 2017:
An example I tried to solve this last night by looking at some examples of "artistes en permanence" at particular galleries and seeing whether information was available on them in English that might give the equivalent. I had high hopes of Rosalind Lindsay, a British artist who lives and works in France. The French version of her list of exhibitions includes:

"2009 Galerie 4 Saisons, St. Aulaye 24, Exposition Printemps
2009 Galerie 4 Saison, St. Aulaye, 24 artiste en permanence"
http://www.rosalindlindsay.com/expositions.html

But in the English version the second line is left out, and she just has:

"2009 Galerie 4 Saisons, Sta Aulaye 24, France, Spring Exhibition."
http://www.rosalindlindsay.com/exhibitions.html

This omission could be a mistake, but it makes me wonder whether the expression has no English equivalent. An English-speaking artist ought to know it if there is one.
Charles Davis Sep 14, 2017:
@Phil I think you're right that it might in practice mean that the artist's work is shown regularly, rather than literally all the time. But if an artist is on permanent display, it doesn't mean the same pieces are always on display; it means they always have his/her stuff on the walls, and when the work sells they replace it with something else by the same artist.

As far as I can tell this term is used only with private galleries. I have a suspicion that the idea is a represented artist (an artist who is on the gallery's books, whom the gallery represents). Commercial galleries have "stables" of artists whose work they promote. But I'm not confident that "en permanence" means only that.
philgoddard Sep 13, 2017:
It doesn't necessarily mean "on permanent display" It's also used with reference to commercial galleries, for example in the last sentence here:
http://www.francehoule.ca/demarche/

If a work was on permanent display in a commercial gallery, that would mean it was not selling, and therefore a failure.

Is the gallery a commercial one, Alison? If so, the translation would be something like "his works are regularly shown at".
Christopher Crockett Sep 13, 2017:
"artist in residence" is a commonly used English term --virtually always implying (literal) "residence" on the site of some kind of workshop or program, either stand-alone or attached to a larger institution (like a university).

And it does *not* mean "artist on permanent display" (in a gallery).

Far as I am aware, there is no brief term in English for that latter species of personage.

Saying that someone is a "featured artist" (in a gallery or display) does not imply "permanence" --only (usually temporary) prominence within the larger context of a specific exhibition or "show."

So I suppose that Lorraine's "artist on permanent display" is the closest thing we can come up with.

Which answer seems obvious...now.
Domini Lucas Sep 13, 2017:
follow up to my 'agree' point I tried to enter a discussion entry earlier (when I put in the 'agree') but I couldn't get it to register as such for some reason. As mentioned my experience wasn't in a gallery context and I felt the same as Christopher i.e. that 'artist in residence' comes to mind but that I didn't know if it could be said of a gallery. Was going to ask if you had more context. Either way I am more than happy to bow to the experience of an artist in the specific field. And yes, in my case I was living on site at the time.
Alison Imms (asker) Sep 13, 2017:
Artist was not physically on site According to his biography, I believe he was living in Spain while he was an "artiste en permanence" at a gallery in Grenoble.
Christopher Crockett Sep 13, 2017:
The problem is that, at least in U.S. usage, an artist "on permanent display" (among other artists who are featured on a rotating basis) would not be thought of as being (literally) "en résidence" --that latter sense would imply that the person were *living* on the site.

And that is true for artists (including, e.g., writers) who are brought to an "art colony" to "reside" on the site for a certain period of time (e.g., a year) as a kind of fellowship.

But if the term really does occur in French usage to signify (merely) "permanent display" in a commercial gallery, then Lorraine's answer must be correct.

Proposed translations

+4
11 mins
Selected

artist on permanent display

This is when your works are part of the permanent exhibition of a gallery.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 minutes (2017-09-13 17:09:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk/about-the-gallery-collect...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 32 minutes (2017-09-13 17:29:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Does not matter whether public or private. You can be part of the permanent exhibition just the same.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 heures (2017-09-14 10:39:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

A permanent collection is when the gallery or museum acquired the works, whereas on permanent display means the artist is permanently displayed or 'permanently represented' at this particular location and not necessarily displaying always the same works. This privilege is given to an artist who's work is appreciated and known to attract art lovers.
Note from asker:
Thanks for your help!
Peer comment(s):
agree Barbara Cochran, MFA
10 mins
Thank you, Barbara. I am an artist so I know a few things ;)
agree Christopher Crockett : Your "permanently represented by this gallery" sounds about the best solution yet --it's not that any given work is on permanent display, but that this artist is... permanently represented in this this gallery (in a particular city).
25 mins
We are all working towards finding the most accurate translation.
neutral philgoddard : Not necessarily - see my comment in the discussion box.
6 hrs
agree Charles Davis
17 hrs
Thank you!
agree Yolanda Broad
2 days 2 hrs
Thank you!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Despite all the comments that later arose this first answer ended up being the best. I did eventually ask the artist what the phrase meant, and as Lorraine explained it referred to the artist's work being part of the permanent exhibition. There was some debate about whether this phrase was too limiting and whether "represented" would be better but I do not take the view that "permanently displayed" means that the same work is always on display. It is the artist that is displayed, the individual works may vary."
+2
2 hrs

artist whose work is on permanent exhibition

(Er, we very probably aren't talking about an artist who is an "exhibitionist" (little joke here).)
Alternative: artist in residence. ((I don't like this because it's too broad, e.g. it employs that the artist teaches and lectures there.))
---
The Dinner Party - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dinner_Party

The Dinner Party is an installation artwork by feminist artist Judy Chicago. Widely regarded as ... Since 2007, it has been on permanent exhibition in the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum, New York. ... The work began modestly as Twenty-Five Women Who Were Eaten Alive, a way in which ...


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2017-09-13 19:22:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

To emphasize my criticism of "artist on permanent display":
"Artist on permanent display" is tres colloquial, trop colloquial en fait. The image created is of a stuffed dead artist, the product of taxidermy, who/which is being displayed bodily in the museum.
Alternatively the image created is of an artist who resides in a glass-walled cubicle in the museum, a la people who "lifecast" their entire lives on the Internet.
---
Lifecasting (video stream) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifecasting_(video_stream)

Lifecasting is a continual live streaming of events in a person's life through digital media. Typically, lifecasting is transmitted through the medium of the Internet and ... Collegeboyslive chose 6 random people to live in the house and have their entire lives broadcast 24/7 for 6 months where viewers can watch and listen to ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2017-09-13 19:23:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

it employs that --> it implies that

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2017-09-13 19:26:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alternative 2 (obvious but unidiomatic, whereas Google indicates that "on permanent exhibition" is highly idiomatic): artist whose work is on permanent display.
Peer comment(s):
agree Mair A-W (PhD) : yes. asker could rephrase to e.g. "he was chosen to have his work on permanent exhibition"
19 mins
neutral philgoddard : How is this different to Lorraine's answer?
4 hrs
It is not the artist himself/herself who/which is on exhibition, it is the artist's work, as I explained as exhaustively (in my opinion, at least I thought) as it is humanly possible to do.
agree Yolanda Broad
1 day 23 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
5 hrs

permanent collection artist

I found this, used as a title

https://www.google.fr/url?q=http://mocaga.org/collections/pe...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2017-09-13 22:04:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Which picks up on ideas already mentioned
Peer comment(s):
agree Yvonne Gallagher : yes, most idiomatic
44 mins
neutral Lorraine Dubuc : A permanent collection is when the gallery or museum acquired the works, whereas on permanent display means the artist is permanently displayed or 'permanently represented' at this particular location and not necessarily displaying always the same works.
1 hr
neutral TechLawDC : Mistaken and therefore not "idiomatic", as Lorraine Dubuc pointed out.
7 hrs
agree Yolanda Broad
1 day 21 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
20 hrs

regularly featured artist

From the interesting discussion we've seen, it appears that we are not talking about any sort of "permanent" display in what is --clearly-- a commercial gallery, but rather the work of an artist whose work is regularly featured at that gallery, no doubt due to some kind of mutually beneficial contractual arrangement between the two.

It might be objected that "regularly featured" implies that there are times when the particular artist's work might *not* be on display --and, thus, not shown "en permanence"; but "permanently featured artist" sounds a bit too awkward to my delicate ears.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day1 hr (2017-09-14 17:59:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The artist in question is "permanently featured" at this gallery in that she is --probably by a mutually-agreed upon (and, perhaps, exclusive) contract-- featured at this particular gallery on an on-going basis; her works are on display there whenever she makes one, or makes enough of them to put together a show.

That's all I meant; of course, nothing on this treacherous plane is "permanent" --what a bizarre concept.
Peer comment(s):
agree Philippa Smith : Or just "featured artist". I think the "en permanence" is a misnomer.../ Sure, "regularly featured", but definitely not "permanently featured" - I really don't think any idea of permanence is meant here.
29 mins
Thanks, Philippa. "permanence" is definitely unfortunate; but "featured" implies (to me) a *temporary* situation (e.g., "this week's featured artist"); my "regularly featured" is a compromise between the two. "Permanently featured"??
agree Yolanda Broad : Lots of good options have been offered. :-)
1 day 5 hrs
Thanks, Yolanda. Say, if you "agree" with every answer propsed, does that mean that you don't have to decide which one is the right one? Problem is, Y., poor Alison can only pick one solution --preferably the "right" one.
Something went wrong...
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