What Is Modern Art Called Today?

Art|Modern Art

Modern art refers to the art of the 20th century and beyond. It is characterized by abstraction, experimentation, innovation, and a strong emphasis on artistic freedom. The term “modern art” encompasses a wide range of styles and movements from Impressionism to Pop Art, from Cubism to Abstract Expressionism.

Modern art began in the late 19th century with the advent of new materials, techniques, and technological advances in painting and sculpture. Impressionism emerged in France in the 1870s as a reaction to Realist painting, which focused on depicting everyday life realistically. The Impressionists used vivid colors and loose brushwork to capture fleeting moments of light and atmosphere.

Cubism was another major movement that began in 1907 when Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque challenged traditional perspectives with their abstract depictions of figures and objects. Cubist paintings were composed of geometric shapes to create multiple points of view simultaneously.

In the 1920s, Surrealism emerged as a reaction against rational thought processes. Surrealist works featured dream-like imagery that sometimes included elements from mythology or ancient art forms like folk tales or religious texts.

Abstract Expressionism was an American style that emerged in New York City during the 1940s and 50s with artists like Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, and Clyfford Still producing large-scale works that emphasized emotional expression over representation.

Pop Art rose to prominence during the 1960s with artists like Andy Warhol creating works based on commercial products or celebrities that celebrated consumer culture. In contrast to abstract expressionism which focused on individual expression, Pop Art embraced mass production as an artistic tool.

In recent decades there has been an increased interest in conceptual art which combines visual imagery with ideas or written text rather than traditional representational forms such as painting or sculpture. Performance art has also seen an increase in popularity as it explores themes such as gender roles or politics through physical actions rather than static visual forms.

Today modern art is often referred to simply as contemporary art which encompasses all creative activities produced since 1945 up until today’s present moment. Contemporary artists are constantly pushing boundaries by exploring new materials, techniques, and ideas while still paying homage to modernist movements such as Impressionism or Pop Art.

Conclusion: Modern art is now more commonly referred to as contemporary art which encompasses all creative activities produced since 1945 up until today’s present moment including performance art and conceptual works that explore new materials, techniques, ideas while still drawing inspiration from modernist movements such as Impressionism or Pop Art.