Multidisciplinary Artist Bio Examples

Working across multiple mediums is a strength, but it can make writing your artist bio challenging. How do you present yourself as a cohesive artist when your practice spans painting, installation, performance, digital work, or other disciplines?

This guide shows you how to craft a multidisciplinary artist bio that demonstrates versatility while maintaining clarity and focus.

Example 1: Multidisciplinary Visual Artist

The Bio:

Maya Torres is a multidisciplinary artist working at the intersection of sculpture, installation, and sound. Her work explores sensory memory and how physical spaces hold emotional histories. Torres combines tactile materials—clay, fabric, found objects—with ambient soundscapes to create immersive environments that invite viewers into moments of personal reflection. Her installations have been featured in juried exhibitions at the Contemporary Arts Center and the Biennial of Regional Artists. Based in Portland, she maintains an active studio practice while developing new work that bridges the gap between the tangible and the ephemeral.

Why It Works:

• Unified theme: "Sensory memory" connects all mediums
• Clear mediums: Sculpture, installation, sound are specific
• Conceptual thread: Shows how different mediums serve one vision
• Exhibition history: Demonstrates active participation in the art world
• Active practice: Shows ongoing development and commitment

Example 2: Artist Working Across Traditional and Digital

The Bio:

Jordan Kim is a visual artist whose practice spans traditional oil painting and digital video art. Their work investigates themes of identity fragmentation in the digital age, using portraiture as a lens to examine how we construct and perform different versions of ourselves. Kim's paintings feature hyperrealistic faces that dissolve into abstraction, while their video work uses glitch aesthetics and digital manipulation to similar effect. They have exhibited at the Museum of Digital Art, the Annual Juried Exhibition at the Arts Guild, and the New Media Showcase. Kim holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Why It Works:

• Two distinct mediums united by theme: Traditional and digital both explore identity
• Conceptual consistency: Same questions across different approaches
• Technical specificity: "Hyperrealistic faces," "glitch aesthetics" show expertise
• Relevant venues: Mix of digital and traditional exhibition spaces
• Educational credential: MFA validates multidisciplinary approach

Example 3: Performance and Visual Artist

The Bio:

Amara Johnson creates participatory performances, video installations, and photographic series that examine Black women's labor and rest as acts of resistance. Drawing from her background in dance and visual art, Johnson's work often involves her own body as well as community collaboration. Her performances have been presented at the Contemporary Performance Festival and documented in solo exhibitions at the Urban Arts Gallery. Johnson's photographs have been featured in Aperture online and the Black Artists Collective Annual Exhibition. She is based in Oakland and teaches occasional workshops on performance art and documentation.

Why It Works:

• Multiple mediums with clear connection: All explore same themes
• Personal positioning: Black women's experience centers the work
• Interdisciplinary background: Dance + visual art explained
• Different venue types: Performance festivals + photo exhibitions
• Community engagement: Workshops add dimension to practice

Tips for Multidisciplinary Artists

1. Lead with Your Unifying Thread

Find what connects your diverse practices:

Thematic connections:

• Recurring subjects (nature, identity, technology)
• Consistent questions or investigations
• Cultural or personal perspectives
• Emotional or conceptual territory

Example:

Working across photography, sculpture, and text-based work, Chen explores themes of displacement and belonging..."

2. Be Specific About Your Mediums

Don't hide behind vague language:

Good examples:

• "Working in oil painting, ceramic sculpture, and performance art"
• "Combining photography, video, and sound installation"
• "Creating works across drawing, printmaking, and digital collage"

Avoid:

• "Multimedia artist"
• "Working in various mediums"
• "Creative practitioner across disciplines"

3. Show How Your Mediums Relate

Explain why you use different approaches:

Examples:

• "Her paintings explore color relationships in abstraction, while her installations translate these investigations into three-dimensional space"
• "Using both documentary photography and participatory performance, he invites viewers to engage with..."
• "Their practice moves between the intimacy of small-scale watercolors and the public scale of mural installations"

4. Structure Your Bio Strategically

Option 1: Lead with Theme

Artist Name explores [theme] through [medium 1], [medium 2], and [medium 3]..."

Option 2: Lead with Primary Medium

Primarily a [medium] artist, Artist Name also works in [other mediums] to investigate..."

Option 3: Lead with Approach

Artist Name's interdisciplinary practice includes [medium 1], [medium 2], and [medium 3], all examining..."

5. Tailor for Context

For medium-specific calls: Emphasize your work in that particular medium while acknowledging your broader practice

For interdisciplinary opportunities: Highlight how your multiple approaches create unique perspectives

For traditional venues: Lead with your most traditional medium, then mention others

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Listing Everything You've Ever Tried

Don't write:

I work in painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, performance, video, photography, printmaking, ceramics, and fiber arts"

Instead write:

Working primarily in installation and performance, with supporting practices in video and photography..."

Being Too Vague

Don't write:

Multimedia artist exploring various themes through different approaches"

Instead write:

Using sculpture, sound, and video installation, Johnson examines themes of environmental degradation"

No Connecting Thread

Don't write:

I paint portraits, make abstract sculptures, and sometimes do performance art about different topics"

Instead write:

Through portraiture in painting, abstraction in sculpture, and embodied performance, Martinez investigates..."

Overcomplicating

Don't write:

My transdisciplinary praxis operates at the liminal interstices of multiple modalities..."

Instead write:

My practice combines [medium 1] and [medium 2] to explore..."

Not Showing Depth in Any Medium

Don't write:

Just listing mediums without showing expertise

Instead include:

Specific techniques, materials, or approaches that show depth

How to Present Different Mediums

Equal Weight Approach

When mediums are equally important:

Roberts works in both large-scale oil painting and time-based video installation. Her paintings explore [theme] through [approach], while her videos investigate [same theme] through [different approach]..."

Primary Medium Approach

When one medium dominates:

Primarily a ceramic sculptor, Kim also creates photographic documentation and written texts that extend the conceptual framework of her three-dimensional work..."

Process-Based Approach

When your process matters more than medium:

Through an iterative practice that moves between drawing, sculpture, and digital rendering, Martinez develops..."

Conceptual Approach

When idea drives medium choice:

Guided by questions about memory and place, Anderson works in whichever medium best serves the investigation—from intimate watercolors to large-scale public installations..."

Bio Length Guidelines

Short Bio (75-100 words)

• Lead with your main mediums
• One sentence about theme/concept
• Top 1-2 exhibition credits
• Current location or activity

Medium Bio (100-150 words)

• Open with mediums and theme
• Explain how mediums relate
• 2-3 exhibition or publication credits
• Educational background if relevant
• Current projects or location

Long Bio (150-250 words)

• Detailed medium description
• Thematic and conceptual framework
• How different approaches inform each other
• Multiple exhibition/publication credits
• Background, influences, or training
• Current work and future direction
• Location and additional activities

Sample Bio Template

[Your Name] is a multidisciplinary artist working in [medium 1], [medium 2], and [medium 3]. Their practice explores [unifying theme] through [general approach or method]. In their [medium 1], [Name] [specific description]. Their [medium 2] work [how it relates to theme]. This cross-medium investigation has led to [result or insight]. [Name]'s work has been exhibited at [venue 1], [venue 2], and [venue 3]. They hold [degree] from [institution] and are currently based in [location], where they are developing [current project].

Key Takeaways

1. Find your unifying thread - Theme, concept, or question that connects all work
2. Be specific about mediums - Name them clearly, avoid vague terms
3. Show relationships - Explain how different mediums serve your vision
4. Demonstrate depth - Don't just list, show expertise
5. Stay focused - Versatility is good, scattershot is not

Remember: Being multidisciplinary is an asset when you can articulate a clear vision that makes your varied practice feel cohesive and intentional.

Related Resources

• Professional Artist Bio Examples
• Conceptual Artist Bio Examples
• How to Build an Artist Portfolio for Calls