British English · C1 · Unit 14
Art and design
Art and design
By the end you can
- Describe and interpret a work of art
- Discuss what makes something art
- Understand the text at an exhibition
Words and phrases
| British English | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| it doesn't do anything for me | I don't feel anything when I look at it | Honestly, it doesn't do anything for me. |
| what is the artist trying to say? | what is the message? | What is the artist trying to say here? |
| thought-provoking | makes you think | It's thought-provoking, I'll give it that. |
| my five-year-old could do that | a typical dismissive comment about modern art | Come on, my five-year-old could do that. |
| it challenges | it questions (an idea) | It challenges our idea of what art is. |
| in the eye of the beholder | depends on who is looking (beauty is in the eye of the beholder) | Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. |
| striking | very noticeable and impressive | The use of colour is striking. |
| conceptual art | art where the idea matters more than the object | Tate Modern has a lot of conceptual art. |
| installation | a large work of art that fills a space | The installation fills the whole Turbine Hall. |
| the brushstrokes | the marks a paintbrush makes | Look closely at the brushstrokes. |
| pretentious | trying to seem more important or clever than it is | The text on the wall is so pretentious. |
| form follows function | in design, the shape should come from the purpose | In good design, form follows function. |
Then talk it through
Walking round an exhibition with a friend who hates modern art. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.