Check out global $wp_query; and than print_r( $wp_query );… than you get the global object.
You also can use query vars and something like this:
<?php
$arguments = array(
'post_type' => 'artists',
'name' => get_query_var( 'name' )
);
$artists = new WP_Query( $arguments );
if( $artists->have_posts() ):
while( $artists->have_posts() ): $artists->the_post();
// your code
endwhile; wp_reset_postdata();
endif;
