What Are the Characters of Modern Art?

Art|Modern Art

Modern art is a broad category of art produced during the 19th century and throughout the 20th century. It is characterized by a focus on experimentation, innovation, and the use of new materials and techniques.

As its name implies, modern art is ever-changing, with new styles emerging all the time. The characters of modern art are varied and can be difficult to define.

Aestheticism – At its core, modern art is driven by aesthetics rather than narrative content or symbolism. This means that modern artists are less concerned with creating works that tell stories or contain hidden meanings and more focused on creating visual works that make a statement or evoke emotion. This focus on aesthetics has led to many different movements within modern art, such as abstract expressionism, cubism, and surrealism.

Experimentation – Modern artists are often described as being “experimental” because they use nontraditional materials and techniques in their work. This experimentation can manifest itself in various ways: abstract expressionists often employ non-traditional brushstrokes to create expressive works; cubists use geometric shapes to create abstract representations of figures; surrealists combine elements from realistic scenes with dreamlike elements for an otherworldly effect; and pop artists incorporate popular culture into their work.

Non-representational Art – Another defining feature of modern art is the prevalence of non-representational artworks – those that do not depict any recognizable objects or figures. Non-representational pieces may include paintings composed entirely of geometric shapes and colors, installations made up of found objects, or video pieces made up of audio loops and video clips. These works often challenge viewers to interpret them based on their own experiences and emotions instead of relying on traditional symbolism or narrative elements for understanding.

Social Commentary – Many modern artists use their work as a form of social commentary, addressing issues such as racism, sexism, poverty, colonialism, etc. These works often take the form of political statements or critiques on society’s institutions and ideologies. For example, French artist Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain” was a commentary on the commercialization of art in the 20th century; Pop artists like Andy Warhol used their work to criticize consumer culture; while contemporary artist Ai Weiwei uses his artwork to protest censorship in his native China.

Conclusion: In summary, the characters of modern art can be broadly categorized into aestheticism, experimentation with materials/techniques, non-representational pieces that challenge viewers to interpret them subjectively rather than relying on traditional narrative elements for understanding and social commentary which tackles issues such as racism or sexism through powerful visual statements.