What is Modern Art?
Modern art is a term used to describe artworks produced from the late 19th century to the present day. It covers a wide range of artistic styles and movements, including Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism, and Pop Art, among others.
Unless you're an art history major, you may find all the different styles of modern art daunting. To help, we've put together a little cheat sheet. So next time when you see a Rubik's Cube, you won't think of Cubism, but Pop Art.
One of the key features of modern art is its focus on innovation and experimentation. Rather than following traditional artistic techniques and conventions, modern artists sought to push the boundaries of art and explore new forms of expression. This often involved the use of abstract forms and the incorporation of elements from popular cultures, such as advertising and mass media.
Modern art also often reflects the social and political issues of the time in which it was created. Many modern artists used their work as a means of social commentary and as a way to challenge dominant cultural narratives.
One of the most significant movements in modern art is the development of abstract art, which emerged in the early 20th century. Abstract art is characterized by the use of non-representational forms and the absence of recognizable objects or figures. Instead, abstract artists use color, line, and shape to create compositions that evoke emotional responses in the viewer.
Other important movements in modern art include Surrealism, which emerged in the 1920s and was characterized by the use of irrational and dreamlike elements, and Pop Art, which emerged in the 1950s and incorporated elements from popular cultures, such as advertisements and mass media, into artistic works.
Cubism
Cubism was a 20th-century new and unusual art movement, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. In cubist artworks, objects are broken up, analyzed, and re-assembled in an abstract form—instead of depicting objects from one viewpoint, the artist depicts the subject from a multitude of viewpoints to represent the subject in a greater context.
Le guitariste by Pablo Picasso
Expressionism
Expressionism was a cultural movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the start of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world under an utterly subjective perspective, violently distorting it to get an emotional effect and vividly send personal moods and ideas. Expressionist artists sought to express the meaning of "being alive" and emotional experience than physical reality.
The Scream by Edvard Munch
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s. Surrealist works feature the element of surprise; however, many Surrealist artists and writers regard their work as an expression of the philosophical movement first, with the works being an artifact.
The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí
Abstract Expressionism
Technically, an important predecessor is Surrealism, with its emphasis on spontaneous, automatic, or subconscious creation. Jackson Pollock's dripping paint onto a canvas laid on the floor is a technique that has its roots in the work of André Masson, Max Ernst, and David Alfaro Siqueiros.
Jackson Pollock. One: Number 31, 1950. Oil and enamel paint on canvas,
Pop Art
Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art. Pop removes the material from its context and isolates the object, or combines it with other objects, for contemplation. The concept of pop art refers not as much to the art itself as to the attitudes that led to it.
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Campbell's Tomato Juice Box by Andy Warhol
Today, modern art continues to evolve and encompass a wide range of styles and movements. It is a vital and vibrant part of the contemporary art world and continues to inspire and challenge artists and viewers alike.
