How an Artist Titles Their Work

Why It Matters

The artist’s titling approach transforms personal and literary references into market‑relevant narratives, enhancing the interpretive depth and collectible appeal of his works.

Key Takeaways

• Artist uses chalk, slate, blackboard for dust‑laden works.
• Titles derive from personal events and Shakespeare cloud references.
• "A cloud for Marian" created for gallery director Marian Goodman.
• Slate pieces honor deceased Alexi Nalli with dated inscription.
• Personal tragedy informs new tondo drawing using husband’s accident photos.

Summary

The video captures an artist walking through his studio, explaining how he creates and titles his chalk, slate, and blackboard drawings. He emphasizes the tactile, dust‑filled nature of the medium and mentions a commission for gallery director Marian Goodman, titled “a cloud for Marian,” that will appear in an upcoming show.

He reveals that his titling process is deeply personal, drawing from both intimate milestones and literary research. A concordance of Shakespeare’s use of the word “cloud” supplies several titles, while a dated inscription—"Alexi Nalli 16th February 2024"—marks a piece dedicated to a recently deceased friend. He also lists evocative titles such as “fairy emotion” and “faithbreaking,” noting that only his slate works receive this systematic naming.

Specific examples illustrate his method: the “Nalli” slate commemorates the artist’s loss; the “a cloud for Marian” piece was inspired by a flea‑market find; and a new tondo drawing originates from photographs taken after his husband’s 2006 crevasse accident, using the image as source material for the final work.

These practices underscore how titles function as narrative anchors, linking visual art to personal history, literary allusion, and market positioning. For collectors and curators, understanding this layered naming strategy offers insight into the artist’s conceptual intent and potential valuation drivers.

Original Description

Ever wondered how an artist titles their works? We stepped inside Tacita Dean's studio to find out (at least how she titles her slate pieces).

Although she trained as a painter, she's best known for her analog films—long, unhurried takes that slow everything down and make you aware of the image itself being constructed. But chalk on slate, on glass, on whatever surface she's working with, gives her something film can't: something immediate, physical, felt.

Her work lives in the space between past and present, fact and fiction. Places and objects appear slightly out of time, holding meanings that never quite close—and that's exactly the magic of her work.

You can find these works and more, now on view at Marian Goodman Gallery, Los Angeles.

Tacita Dean: Trial of the Finger

Feb 21–Apr 25, 2026

Marian Goodman

Los Angeles 🇺🇸