ACEO: the quiet return of a format that never really disappeared

Some formats move through time quietly. ACEOs are one of them.

These small 2.5 x 3.5 inch cards, now reappearing on social media and in certain online shops, are not new. They are part of a well-established history, yet in recent months they seem to be finding a particular place again in many artists’ practices.

Originally, ACEOs are directly inspired by ATCs, or Artist Trading Cards. The concept of ATCs, which emerged in the 1990s with Swiss artist M. Vänçi Stirnemann, was simple: create small works in the same format as playing cards, intended only for exchange between artists. No selling. No monetary value. Just a shared artistic gesture.

ACEOs came later, as a natural evolution. Same format, same collecting logic… but with one key difference: they can be sold. This small shift opened the door to much wider distribution.

In the early 2000s, platforms like eBay and Etsy played a major role in their popularity. ACEOs circulated widely there, often through auctions, attracting collectors looking for unique, small-format pieces. Over time, their visibility shifted. Today, we are seeing an interesting return, but in a different form.

On TikTok, for instance, short-form content highlights quick gestures, mini processes, and works in series. ACEOs fit perfectly into this rhythm, even when they are not always explicitly named as such.

On the sales side, Etsy remains a natural space for these kinds of objects. But eBay has never fully disappeared. In certain niches like ACEOs, there is even a sense of continuity… and perhaps a slight renewed interest linked to collecting and auction formats. Calling it a major resurgence might be an overstatement, but there is clearly a persistent, almost cyclical presence.

What ties all of this together is a shared desire: to return to a format that is simple, tangible, and accessible. To create without heaviness. To collect without intimidation.

ACEOs make that possible.

They offer artists a space for quick, almost daily exploration. A way to work in series, to test ideas, to produce without waiting for everything to be “perfect.” And for collectors, they provide an entry point into original art that is often more affordable and more intimate.

But as the practice grows, another dimension begins to emerge: traceability.

What do we do with all these small works once they leave the studio? How do we document what we create? How do we bring continuity to formats that are, by nature, fragmented?

Some artists choose to remain in a very free, almost ephemeral practice. Others feel the need to introduce a light structure. A title. A date. A technique. Sometimes also a small document that accompanies the work. Something simple, that affirms its origin without weighing down the gesture.

With that in mind, I created a certificate of authenticity that I make freely available on Jodoin Studio, for those who wish to accompany their ACEOs with a clear and consistent reference.

And for those working in series or building collections, there are also more comprehensive tools, such as an ACEO Logbook, designed as a space to record, organize, and preserve a memory of these small works. It is available for those who feel the need for it, including on Amazon.

ACEOs are one of many ways to extend a creative practice. A format that is free, accessible, almost instinctive… and that can, if one chooses, become part of a broader, more structured approach without ever losing its lightness.