Contemporary art

What is the difference between modern art and contemporary art?

“If modern art is a mold tan contemporary art is what breaks the mold to become soemthing else”

Modern - something that belongs to this age

- starting in the middle of the 19th century till the end of the second world war

-revolutionary by origin: anti romaniticism

-self expressive art, subjective representation

-majority is made on canvas

Contemporary - shows things that are related to this time and date

- starting after the second world war till today

- revolutionary regarding the freedom of experimentation by the artist

- focus on society, politics, culture, emphasizing social impact

- any medium including video, object design, installations, performance

Contemporary Art

  • defined by the time it was created rather than the type it falls under

  • what an artist creates if they make something that follows none of its boundaries

  • Contemporary art often spreads to places outside a canvas or a gallery.

  • found everywhere

History

after world war 2, ideas of art changed. Postmodernism started in the 1970’s where artists believed that art is for everyone, this artwork sometimes used technology.

Many artists who faced the harsh reality of war grew up with different ideals from artists in the modern era and decided to make their own art according to their style called “contemporary art”

Post modernism
- started in the 1970’s, a reaction against modernism
- movement ended in the late 20th century

Different types of Contemporary Art

1.) Pop art

  • simple everyday images (Ex. Advertisments, packaging, comic strips, movie stars, celebrities etc.)

  • uses exciting and lively block colors

  • shows strong design concept and bold shapes

  • limits use of color

  • often uses irony or sarcasm

  • Artists: Andy Warhol (“Soup Cans”), Roy Lichtenstein (“Blam”)

2.) Happening

  • Avant-grade; combines elements of drama and visual arts

  • provokes/encourages a response from viewers

  • planned beforehand but are performed spontaneously

  • Artists: Allan Kaprow (“18 Happenings in 6 Parts”)

2.) Performance Art

  • uses artists’ body and overly theatrical live actions to express the art

  • can be performed anywhere with live audience (can be rehearsed or spontaneous)

  • incoperates different media like dance, music, csotuem etc

  • Artists: Chris Burden (“Shoot”)

3.) Installation Art

  • arrangement of objects in space (designed for a specific area, isndie a room, an open spaces or anywhere)

  • allows the viewer to be “in” the artwork, move around and interact with the space

  • Artists: Walter De Maria (”Earth room”) , Damien Hirst (“The Miraculous Journey”), Urs Fischer (“Lamp Bear”)

4.) Graffiti Art (Street Art

  • public art, done ons dies of buildings etc.

  • uses spray paints, markers etc.

  • used to express artist’s frustration

  • Artists: Banksy (Girl with a peirced Eardrum”)