A Primer for Artists
by Ron Brownson


ab initio
from the beginning

bona fides
good faith

cacoethes scribendi
incurable passion for writing

camera obscura
dark room

carpe diem
pluck the day

de gustibus non est disputandum
there is no disputing about tastes

de novo
from scratch, afresh

de re
about the thing

erratum
an error

et alii
and others

ex nihilio
out of nothing

felix culpa
happy fault

ferae naturae
of wild nature

genius loci
genius of place

hors concours
out of the competition

id
it

ignotum per ignotius
the unknown by means of the more unknown

in camera
in the room

in extenso
at full length, in full

jus soli
law of the soil, the principle of a person's nationality

lapsus linguae
slip of the tongue

meum et tuum
mine and yours

mutatis mutandis
with the necessary changes made

natura naturans
nature naturing

nulli secundus
second to none

opus
work

passim
here, there, everywhere

quaere
seek, ask, enquire

res ipsa loquitur
the thing speaks for itself

resurgam
I shall rise again

saeva indignatio
the burning passionate anger that fires the artist

sensu lato
in the broad sense

summun pulchrum
terrific beauty

suppressio veri
suppression of the truth

tempora mutantur
times change

terra incognita
unknown land

ultra vires
beyond strength

urbi et orbi
to the city and the world

vi et armas
by force and arms

visus
sight

vox populi
voice of the people



Ron Brownson is Senior Curator of New Zealand and Pacific Art at Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tämaki.