Interested in contemporary art? look no further
We are always asked: What is the difference between contemporary art and the old masters? Simply put, contemporary art is created by artists who are still alive. Old Masters are paintings painted by deceased artists. The good news is that if we buy contemporary art now from renowned and talented artists, chances are that one day we or our children will be the proud owners of the old masters. The bad news for artists is that usually, while they are alive and painting, they rarely get to see the true value of what their paintings are really worth.
Contemporary means “art that has been and continues to be created during our lifetimes.” In other words, contemporary with us. Contemporary art is art produced at the present time. Contemporary art includes and develops from postmodern art, which is itself a successor to modern art.
Strictly speaking, it refers to the art made and produced by artists from the 60s or 70s to the present day. 1970 is the cutoff point for two reasons. First of all, because it was around 1970 that the terms “postmodern” and “postmodernism” appeared, which means, we must assume, that the art world had been filled with modern art. Second, 1970 seems to be the last bastion of easily classifiable art movements.
While it can be difficult to classify emerging movements, contemporary art is far more socially conscious than any era before it. A great deal of art from the last 30 years has become connected to one theme or another: feminism, multiculturalism, globalization, bioengineering, and AIDS awareness all come easily to mind as themes. Today’s artists work in and respond to a global environment that is culturally diverse, technologically advanced, and multifaceted.
Working in a wide range of media, contemporary artists often reflect on and comment on modern society. When interacting with contemporary art, viewers are challenged to let go of questions like “Is a work of art good?” or “Is the work aesthetically pleasing?” Instead, viewers consider whether the art is “challenging” or “interesting.” Contemporary artists can challenge traditional ideas of how art is defined, what constitutes art, and how art is made, while creating a dialogue with, and in some cases rejecting, the styles and movements that came before them.
Since the early 20th century, some artists have moved away from realistic representation and depiction of the human figure, moving increasingly toward abstraction.
Contemporary artists, like many artists who came before them, can recognize and find inspiration in artwork from earlier periods in both subject matter and formal elements.
