Contemporary Art Movement: Who Started It?

0
153

Contemporary Art  

In today’s art world, the term contemporary art is thrown around nearly as liberally as the paint strokes found on many of the art pieces that are sold. But when it comes to the definition of contemporary art, there’s more to it than blue skies and well-lit waterfalls. Contemporary art encompasses a range of artistic styles and practices that are rooted in the current day and age, making it a broad and ever-evolving category.

But if you go a step further and try to decipher the origins of contemporary art, the question of “who started it” can be difficult to answer. That’s because the beginnings of contemporary art can be traced back to multiple sources and originate from different time periods and locations. In an attempt to answer this query, it’s important to look at the influences and styles that formed the groundwork of this artistic movement.

Art Movements That Shaped Contemporary Art  

Modernism 

Modernism was originally a philosophical movement that was born in the late 19th century, and later evolved into an artistic movement focused on modern aesthetics. This movement focused on innovation and used a variety of techniques to create pieces that reflected the experience of modern life. Artists such as Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet and Georges Seurat are early pioneers of this style and are attributed with defining the foundation of modern art.

Impressionism 

Impressionism is an offshoot of the modern art movement, and it was primarily centered around painting in a new and experimental way. Impressionists would capture the fleeting moments of a scene, using quick brush strokes, to form a “snapshot” of the environment. Pieces by Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas and Auguste Renoir are widely recognized as examples of the impressionist style.

Post-Impressionism 

Post-Impressionism is considered a reaction to Impressionism, which focused on bolder colors, thicker lines and distorted forms. Paul Gauguin, Georges Seurat and Paul Cezanne are some of the major figures of this movement, and their pieces conveyed a clear message of their experiences and emotions.

Fauvism 

Fauvism, which was led by Henri Matisse, was an artistic movement that focused on the use of bright colors and expressive brush strokes. The term “Fauvism” was derived from the French word for “wild beasts,” which was used to describe the intense and jarring colors used in Matisse’s pieces. Matisse, who was also a major contributor to the cubism movement, is credited with introducing Fauvism to the art world.

Cubism 

Cubism, which is heavily attributed to Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, was a revolutionary painting style that focused on shaping objects by hiding their natural form. Cubism completely revolutionized the way traditional art was approached and is characterized by fractured forms and multiple angles.

Dada 

Dada was an art movement created by Marcel Duchamp and Tristan Tzara in the early 20th century. This movement was focused on challenging traditional and societal norms, and emphasized the use of randomness and playfulness in the art-making process.

Surrealism 

Surrealism was another major art movement of the 20th century and was a direct reaction to Dadaism. Artists like Salvador Dali and Joan Miro gained notoriety for their aesthetic style of depicting the world in a surreal way. This movement focused on connecting the conscious and unconscious worlds and embraced the power of dream-like imagery and symbolism in art.

Abstraction 

Abstraction was a major art movement of the early 20th century, and was primarily focused on using geometric shapes, vibrant colors and bold lines to create art. Artists such as Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian are credited with forming the beginning of this style, and their pieces often served as a connection between the physical and spiritual worlds.

Influence of Contemporary Art  

As previously stated, contemporary art was founded on a combination of multiple of artistic styles and influences, and it is currently used as an umbrella phrase that encompasses these influences. Contemporary art is often used to link the past and the present, and it has bridged the gap between many different creative disciplines.

Today, contemporary art has become an integral part of our lives. Many contemporary artists focus on creating work that encourages viewers to think about the current cultural landscape and its place in the world. Controversial topics such as racism, politics, gender roles and more can be seen in the artwork, often offering an interesting and thought-provoking perspective.

The origin of contemporary art is difficult to trace and is often rooted in multiple movements and influences. While the exact “hero” of this art movement can be difficult to pin down, it is evident that many of the major art movements of the past century―modernism, cubism, dadaism, impressionism, post-impressionism, surrealism, and abstraction―all played a role in the development of contemporary art. These mediums, alongside other styles and techniques, have shaped the modern art world and become an integral part of our everyday lives and experiences.

Previous articleThe Top Most Polluted Cities Around the World
Next articleTop Artworks by Hilma af Klint