Artistic Translation: Giving Voice to Art Across Languages
Art knows no boundaries, but language often does. A work of art can move, provoke, or inspire, whatever its form. But without the right words to carry it, it risks remaining out of reach for many. Wall texts, labels, catalogues, websites, interviews, critical content, in the art world, language is everywhere. And every word matters.
That’s where the translator comes in: a true bridge between cultures, removing linguistic barriers without ever betraying the artist’s intent. They grasp the nuance of a message, preserve the author’s voice, understand the context of an exhibition, and convey it all in another language, with the same emotional and intellectual weight.
At Atenao, artistic translation is far more than a simple language service:
it’s a demanding craft that blends terminological precision, editorial finesse, and deep knowledge of the art world. Atenao is a professional translation agency known for delivering top-tier services with unwavering translation quality, tailored to the high standards of museums, foundations, and artistic institutions.
Artistic Translation in Action: Words that Travel Through Time
From the sensual imagery of Charles Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du mal to the poignant verses of Rabindranath Tagore, artistic translation has always required more than linguistic skill… it calls for cultural sensitivity and creative intuition.
Translating a poem, a museum label, or a work of prose means entering into a dialogue with both the original creator and the target audience. Before even picking up the pen, the translator must ask: Who will be reading this? What do they know, feel, expect? This mental shift is essential to preserve not just meaning, but the emotional and aesthetic charge of a piece. This is the invisible art of translation: not copying, but recreating, in a way that stays true to the original, while speaking directly to a new set of ears, eyes, and hearts.
That same attention to nuance and audience is exactly what guides our approach at Atenao.
Whether it’s translating a poem, a wall text, or an entire exhibition catalogue, we believe every word should echo the artist’s intent while speaking meaningfully to the reader. This is why our translation and interpretation services are built on more than linguistic expertise — they’re shaped by our deep understanding of the cultural sector and our commitment to editorial excellence.
Our translation and interpretation services in the artistic sector
Our multilingual translation and language services are designed for cultural organizations, museums, foundations, art centers, publishing houses, and public institutions looking to share their content internationally while staying true to their artistic identity. We provide a clear, customized translation quotes for each project, ensuring tailor-made results that meet your needs.
Our most requested services include:
- Translation of museum-related content (wall texts, labels, captions, educational files)
- Translation of cultural websites – a complete website translation service, optimized for online use and multilingual accessibility
- Multilingual translations into English, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, and more
- Legal and administrative translation for artistic projects (exhibition contracts, agreements, project calls)
- Translation, editing, and proofreading of catalogues, visitor guides, brochures, and audioguides
We also offer, when needed, translation and interpretation services for events, openings, conferences, and guided tours. Our translation quotes are adapted to each project’s nature, depending on language combinations, word counts, and deadlines—always with a commitment to quality and transparency.
Our references in the field of artistic translation
Centre Pompidou (France)
As a key satellite of the iconic Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Centre Pompidou-Metz is a leading cultural institution in eastern France, known for its bold architecture and cutting-edge exhibitions dedicated to modern and contemporary art.
For its exhibition Sublime, the Centre Pompidou-Metz, an emblematic cultural institution with a diverse program, entrusted Atenao with the artistic translation of its exhibition content. This project showcased our ability to deliver translations that stay true to the spirit of the artworks and curatorial intent while remaining crystal clear for international audiences. A strong collaboration with a major player in contemporary creation.
Musée des Lettres et Manuscrits de Paris (France)
Dedicated to preserving and showcasing original letters, manuscripts, and historical writings, the Musée des Lettres et Manuscrits de Paris offered visitors a unique window into the personal thoughts of some of history’s greatest minds : from scientists and musicians to writers and political figures. The Musée des Lettres et Manuscrits de Paris chose Atenao to translate its website and explanatory texts (French-English) related to historical documents from renowned figures in science, music, and culture. This project required great linguistic precision, especially in faithfully rendering original quotes. A tailor-made assignment that highlights our expertise in artistic translation and website translation service for cultural institutions.
Musée du Quai Branly (France) – International Exhibitions
Situated at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac is one of France’s leading museums dedicated to the arts and civilizations of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. Renowned for its rich collections and thought-provoking exhibitions, the museum explores the intersections of culture, identity, and history. For its Planète Métisse, Paracas, and Elena Izcue exhibitions, the Musée du Quai Branly engaged our professional translation agency to translate all texts from French into English and Spanish.
The task was to convey cultural, anthropological, and artistic content with precision while respecting the thought of renowned historian Serge Gruzinski. A fine example of multilingual artistic translation in the service of knowledge sharing and cultural diversity.
Paris National Opera (France)
A symbol of French artistic excellence, the Paris National Opera is one of the most prestigious opera institutions in the world, celebrated for its historic venues—the Palais Garnier and the Opéra Bastille—and its bold, world-class productions in music, dance, and theatre. The Paris National Opera entrusted Atenao with the French-German legal translation of its contracts in the context of its international activities.
This first collaboration with one of France’s most prestigious cultural institutions underscores our ability to deliver translation services that are both legally accurate and attuned to the unique demands of the arts sector, a partnership that paves the way for future artistic translation projects.
Pinault Collection (France)
The Pinault Collection is one of the most important contemporary art collections in the world. It was established by French billionaire François Pinault, founder of the luxury group Kering (formerly PPR) and owner of Christie’s.
Bringing together more than 10,000 works by over 400 international artists, the collection is known for its diversity and bold curatorial choices.
Rather than keeping the artworks hidden away, Pinault chooses to share them with the public through striking exhibition spaces: the Palazzo Grassi in Venice, restored by Japanese architect Tadao Ando; the Punta della Dogana, also in Venice; and the Bourse de Commerce in Paris.
He supports living artists, often by commissioning works or exhibiting their pieces early in their careers.
To better welcome its Japanese audience, the Pinault Collection decided to have its exhibition booklets translated into Japanese, making them available on its website (https://www.pinaultcollection.com/en) and offering a limited number of printed copies at the museum.
Two exhibitions were held in 2024 at the Bourse de Commerce, a historic building also restored by Tadao Ando. The first, American Mythologies, and the second, The World As It Goes, are each presented in an 18-page brochure.
Translating into Japanese required specific technical considerations, particularly with hyphenation rules that demand a strong command of the language and its ideograms. Atenao handled both the certified French–Japanese translation (ISO 17100 translation) and the complete graphic production using InDesign and Illustrator. The Japanese public praised the result, warmly welcoming the initiative.