Crossartists

Crossartists is a term used in contemporary art discourse to describe practitioners who produce hybrid works across media. It denotes artists who integrate elements from visual art, performance, sound, digital media, and other disciplines into a single practice, rather than working within a single traditional medium. The label is descriptive rather than prescriptive and is not tied to a formal organization.

The designation emerged with the rise of interdisciplinary and collaborative practices in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Critics and curators use it to signal work that moves beyond medium-specific boundaries, often in gallery installations, site-specific projects, or stage works that incorporate interactive or audience-responsive elements.

Crossartists typically emphasize process and experimentation, collaborative creation, and the integration of technology, performance, and space. Works may combine sculpture, video projection, sound design, live performance, and audience participation, asking viewers to engage across sensory and temporal dimensions. Research and conceptual development are often central to the practice.

Reception of crossartist practices varies. Supportive critiques praise hybridity and innovative approaches to representation, while others argue the term can be too broad to convey specific methods or intents. Institutions increasingly host residencies, labs, and exhibition programs that encourage cross-disciplinary experimentation, providing resources and platforms for such work.

Related concepts include cross-disciplinary art, multimedia art, installation art, performance art, and collaborative practice.