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What is Contemporary Art?

Contemporary art has been defined in many ways. For some, it’s the art trends of the late 20th and early 21st century. For others, it’s art from the past fifty years. Which is which? Read more to know more about this type of art.

What is Contemporary Art?

Contemporary art is a broad term that covers a wide range of art types, styles, and mediums. Although it is difficult to pin down a precise definition of contemporary art, certain characteristics are common to its practitioners.

Contemporary artists are often involved in the production process throughout art-making, such as research and development, production, and exhibition. Contemporary artists are also known for working in different media than the traditional artists of their time, and for making art that is relevant to society.

What Is Contemporary Art? - David Kracov

What Year Did Contemporary Art Begin?

The exact date for this art movement was never clear in the first place. It was said that there had been art pieces that were produced as early as the 1850s. Some art historians have set the start date to the 1960s, while others argued that this art movement was well-developed in the 1970s to 1980s.

Regardless of the time period you choose, there is no denying that contemporary art has gained in importance throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Some of today’s most powerful and influential artists are contemporary.

What Kind of Art Is Contemporary Art?

Contemporary art is the type of art that is defined by its focus on the present, by the way it engages with the world around us, and by the way, it makes us think about the past, present, and future. So, what does contemporary art look like? It’s not easy to define. It can be found in a variety of media, and it can range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Contemporary art is everywhere, and it is constantly evolving.

 

What Is Contemporary Art? - David Kracov

What Are the 7 Contemporary Art Forms?

This art style is usually depicted in the following art forms:

  1. Paintings
  2. Sculpture
  3. Photography
  4. Installation
  5. Performance
  6. Video art

For most people, it is not easy to define contemporary art as a whole. However, if you ask an art critic, they will tell you that everything that has been made in the past 50 years is contemporary art.

Types of Contemporary Art

Contemporary art can be seen in many forms, in artwork for sale and types around the world. There are multiple types of contemporary art, like:

  • Drawing
  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Digital Art/Collage
  • Installation Art
  • (Public) Intervention Art
  • Photography
  • Video Art
  • Land Art
  • Performance Art

Contemporary art has been on the rise since the 1960s when the term was first used. It was a time of upheaval when the world was changing, and the art world was just beginning to redefine itself. Today, the art community is a melting pot of styles and ideas. Many art movements have risen since then. While a few have taken hold, others have been forgotten. Contemporary art has been going through many changes in the past 50 years, some more drastic than others.

What Is Contemporary Art? - David Kracov

What Makes Contemporary Art Unique?

Contemporary art has evolved over time to become much more diverse and less “contemporary” than ever before. These days you can find anything from modern painting to sculpture and even performance art in the art world. Contemporary art is all about the new, bringing creativity into an often drab and predictable world.

The contemporary art scene is one that is constantly changing, morphing, and evolving. This is due to a variety of factors such as the overall popularity of art, the availability of new technology, the nature and availability of new materials, the way that art is portrayed and exhibited, and the overall world view of society.

Top Contemporary Artists You Should Know

In recent years, we have seen a number of great artists come onto the scene. Many of these artists have gained a lot of popularity. Here are some of the contemporary artists that you should know:

  • Andy Warhol – He is a well-known contemporary artist who produced his infamous prints of soup cans and Campbell’s soup cans.
  • Takashi Murakami – He is a Japanese painter and sculptor best known for his artworks that explore pop as culture and his artworks based on a papercut.
  • David Hockney – He is famous for his paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures; he has been called the last of the great British painters. He is famous for his use of bright colors, bold lines, and flat shapes.
  • Ai WeiWei – He is a well-known Chinese artist and social activist that has been arrested several times. Ai Wei Wei began his career by coming up with the “Bird Nest” concept in the early 1980s. This was a big hit, and he has become a very well-known artist since then.
  • David Kracov – an artist whose work has been featured on the pages of the NY Times, Time Magazine, and Vogue. Kracov’s works, like his papercuts collection, are on display in private collections around the world.

Contemporary art is a broad term. To most people, it’s a field of art that has already been established, and the artists who contribute to it are the ones who have already been successful. The names of the artists and the themes they cover are constantly changing, and the boundaries of their work are shifting.

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