Contemporary Art
Contemporary Art
Contemporary art is object based but includes a motion of context that portrays life and emotion in real time. Some museums consider this timeline anything forward of World War II while others begin at 1970. With the fast pace of globalization and bioengineering, even other authorities use 1990 as a starting point for contemporary art of today.
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Where the Movement Began
Many artists credit Vincent Van Gogh with his impressionist work that brought emotion and intellect in creating personal style through paintings. Edourard Manet brought in the era of Modern Art in 1860 with his subjective style of painting. Expressionism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism soon followed. Colored with the social and political unrest of the 1920s and 1930s, artists began to realize that coherence and meaning could be portrayed through art and Contemporary Art began to emerge.
Discoveries of Today
You will find no boundaries in contemporary art. Evolved from the modernist period, post 1960, where major changes in culture, economic and political views and human rights were emerging, artists began to use these influences as part of their work. No longer was the suggestion of an aesthetic painting the forefront of thought so much as a driven focus on bringing the audience’s attention to a particular emotion that impacted daily lives. Making a legend out of one distinct period of time by using paints, sculptures, photography and other forms of media and opening the eyes of an audience that has become too complacent with life is the sign of great contemporary art.
Form of Contemporary Art
Not all artists are capable of creating contemporary art. It takes skill and imagination to take the words, forms, materials, color and light of a specific movement and display this voice through objects or activities that touch the human spirit. A recent example is the work of Alex Lukas with an acrylic and silkscreen on book page called ‘2011 002 Untitled’. Starting with an American city placed underwater, no lines are distinct yet every building has form. There are no humans in sight but the traces of graffiti and deterioration point to life everywhere. Taken over by swamps and seaweed, the unmistakable message is that no matter how strong society is, nature will win in the end.
Contemporary Art vs. Modern Art
Modern art and contemporary art are often considered synonymous to one another but are very different. While contemporary art uses the opportunity to seize on a realistic moment that makes you stop and consider what the underlying message really is, modern art is a reflection of suggestive progress. Modern art can focus on any time period and use any type of shape, color or form. Geometries are a favorite with modern artists that leave viewers to arrive at their own conclusion for the reason and purpose of the piece.
Contemporary Art can take on many different forms and styles. Surrealism, cartoon style, figure painting, photo-realism, graffiti and urban scenes are just a few examples of how the contemporary artist can use almost any talent and media to create a scene. The contemporary artist is not only able to weave an inducing art piece that contains explanation and appeal but can carefully analyze the theme and message needed portrayed. A good contemporary art piece is an emotionally driven experience that is not soon forgotten.