Contemporary Art

Contemporary Art — Definition, Artists, and Examples

What is the definition of contemporary art?

Contemporary art refers to art created in the late 20th century to the present day. It often reflects modern-day society and is characterized by its innovative or avant-garde qualities. Contemporary art may engage with current political, social, and cultural issues, and can encompass a variety of mediums and styles. It differs from modern art, which predates it and covers art from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. The term is commonly used to describe art that pertains to the current era, reflecting the concerns and interests of the contemporary art world.

What is the difference between modern and contemporary art?

Modern art covers art produced during the period from the 1860s to the 1970s, emphasizing new types of art such as Impressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism. On the other hand, contemporary art refers to the art produced from the 1970s to the present day, focusing on current or recent events and ideas, often reflecting a wide range of styles, mediums, and themes. The distinction between modern and contemporary art mainly rests on the time period and the thematic focus of the artworks.

Major Contemporary Art Movements

Abstract Expressionism

Originating in the 1940s and 1950s in New York, Abstract Expressionism is characterized by artworks that emphasize free, spontaneous, and personal emotional expression. Contemporary art artists utilize non-traditional painting techniques and avoid clear and concise visual references, often involving gestural brush strokes or mark-making, and the impression of spontaneity.

Pop Art

Pop Art emerged in the mid-20th century, predominantly in the United States and United Kingdom. It draws inspiration from popular and commercial culture, such as advertising, comic books, and everyday consumer products. Iconic figures like New York-based artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein are associated with the movement, recognized for their works that challenge the boundaries between high and low contemporary art.

Minimalism

Flourishing in the 1960s and 1970s, Minimalism in contemporary art is characterized by simplicity and an emphasis on the viewer’s perception rather than the creator's expression. Artists create works with a minimal number of colours, shapes, and lines, aiming to avoid metaphorical associations, symbolism, and suggestions of spiritual transcendence.

Conceptual Art

Conceptual art, prevailing in the 1960s, accentuates the idea or concept behind the work over its aesthetic or material value. For conceptual artists in the contemporary art realm, the idea of making the art takes precedence, and the final product, if there is one, is often a byproduct that may or may not be integral to understanding the work.

Performance Art

Performance Art involves live, theatrical presentations that may incorporate various media such as music, dance, or painting, as well as non-traditional media. It focuses on the actions of contemporary art artists themselves to communicate with the audience directly through their body, rather than through a produced object.

Street Art

Street Art is visual contemporary art made in public locations, usually unsanctioned and executed outside of the traditional art venues. Contemporary art often conveys social and political messages and can be found in various forms such as graffiti, stickers, video projections, and street installations.

Digital Art

Digital Art encompasses artworks created with the aid of computers or other electronic devices. It includes various sub-genres like digital painting, 3D modelling, and virtual reality, often exploring the intersection of technology, culture, and aesthetics in contemporary art.

Feminist Art

Feminist Art emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, seeking to counteract the historical neglect of women artists and challenge the gender biases in contemporary art institutions. The movement uses art to address issues related to gender equality, representation and celebrates the experiences and expressions of women.

Postmodern Art

Postmodern Contemporary Art is characterized by its rejection of the grand narratives and ideologies of modernism. Emerging in the mid to late 20th century, it often employs pastiche, parody, and irony, blurring the boundaries between high and low forms of art, and questioning artistic authority and originality.

Neo-Expressionism

Neo-Expressionism, prominent in the late 20th century, is characterized by intense subjectivity and rough handling of materials. Contemporary art artists often utilize vivid colours, emotive techniques, and confrontational subjects to communicate strong emotional or expressive content.

Famous Contemporary Artists

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat catapulted from the graffiti-filled streets of 1980s New York to the high-stakes art world, creating works with themes of race, identity, and social discord. His expressive and impactful art navigates between street art and elite galleries, challenging values and systems within both art and broader society. Despite his brief career, Basquiat's indelible mark influences and provokes contemporary art and social commentary to this day.

Yayoi Kusama

Known for her captivating and immersive installations, Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese contemporary art artist who explores concepts of infinity, self-image, and sexual obsession through her work. Her signature polka dots and infinity rooms have become symbols of her exploration into mental illness and obsession, drawing audiences into her unique perceptual world.

Ai Weiwei

Chinese contemporary art artist and activist Ai Weiwei creates work that challenges the political systems and confronts issues of human rights, democracy, and freedom of speech. His contemporary art spans various mediums, including sculpture, installation, and photography, often blurring the boundaries between art and activism.

Jenny Holzer

An American neo-conceptual artist, Jenny Holzer is best known for her text-based public art projects. Holzer's contemporary art work speaks to the political and social issues of the day, utilizing varied media like LED signs, projections, and other outdoor displays to engage the public in critical thought.

Kehinde Wiley

Kehinde Wiley is renowned for his large-scale paintings that reinterpret traditional European portraiture, inserting black figures into historical scenarios and settings, thereby exploring the politics of representation and power in contemporary art.

William Kentridge

South African artist William Kentridge works in various mediums, including drawing, animation, film, and sculpture, to explore themes of time, history, and social memory, often reflecting on the apartheid era in South Africa through contemporary art.

Marina Abramović

Recognized as the "grandmother of performance art", Marina Abramović explores the relationship between artist and audience, the limits of the body, and the possibilities of the mind in contemporary art. Her performances often subject her body to danger, testing the boundaries of physical and mental endurance.

Takashi Murakami

Merging Japanese pop culture references with the country’s rich traditional art heritage, Takashi Murakami has developed a signature "Superflat" aesthetic that blurs the boundaries between high and low art. His works often feature animated imagery and colourful graphics, challenging established dichotomies within the contemporary art world.

Barbara Kruger

An American conceptual artist, Barbara Kruger is known for her layered photographs, featuring striking imagery often overlaid with white-on-red text. Her contemporary artwork addresses issues of power, identity, consumerism, and sexuality, prompting viewers to question the power dynamics and ideological struggles of contemporary society.

David Hockney

English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer, and photographer David Hockney is considered one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. His contemporary artwork offers a fresh perspective on the everyday through his vibrant colour palette and innovative use of technology.

Anish Kapoor

Known for his large-scale installations and sculptures, Anish Kapoor explores themes of void, colour, and materiality in contemporary art. His works often engage viewers through their immersive and contemplative qualities, inviting them to explore their perceptions of form and space.

Cai Guo-Qiang

Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang is best known for his innovative use of gunpowder and fireworks to create ephemeral events and drawings in contemporary art, exploring themes of destruction, renewal, and the fleeting nature of time.

FAQs

What is the meaning of contemporary art?

Contemporary art refers to art created in the present or recent past, reflecting current ideas, societal issues, and diverse perspectives, utilizing various media and techniques.

What are the characteristics of contemporary art?

Characteristics of contemporary art include a diverse range of media and materials, conceptual approaches, exploration of social and political issues, rejection of traditional boundaries, and often an engagement with globalism and multiculturalism.

What is the main point of contemporary art?

The main point of contemporary art is to explore, express, and engage with modern-day issues, ideas, and concepts, often challenging traditional notions of art and culture.

What defines a contemporary art artist?

A contemporary art artist creates art that reflects, responds to, or engages with the present time, often utilizing new methodologies and addressing current social, political, and cultural issues.

What are the key concepts of contemporary art?

Key concepts include identity, conflict, technology, time, space, and reality, often expressed through a conceptual and experimental approach that engages audiences in new and innovative ways.