Contemporary art

Contemporary art is an important type of art that includes more than fifty types of expressions that have emerged since the end of World War II. Achieving an understanding of contemporary art requires the study of many theories that have been presented over approximately six decades of art. The common denominator is that artistic talent must be formally recognized by the art world. Some contemporary artists reflect the influence of Modernism, including Impressionism, Surrealism, and Cubism, and others separate themselves from Postmodernism, even eliminating all connections with the artistic movements that existed in the past.

Characteristics of contemporary art

The main characteristics of contemporary art are the following:

It is based on abstract expressionism.
It has a heritage of artistic vanguards and seeks different forms of expression.
It has bases coming from abstract art.
Its works are original, artistic and leave the mark of the author who makes them.
The means or instruments to make the works of contemporary art are changing and new technologies are used day by day.
It is influenced by Fauvism, Neoplasticism and Cubism.
It emphasizes the expressions of the self and emotions.
The colors used are strong and the content is symbolic.
It seeks to manifest the movement, and repetition of objects on canvas.
The art is avant-garde and surrealistic.

History

Contemporary art was originated at the end of the 19th century. It was created as a result of the dragging of different techniques that came from that century, and it is considered that impressionism and post-impressionism were the concepts that drove its creation. From its beginnings, it was based on different avant-garde movements such as Cubism, Expressionism, Surrealism, Futurism and Dadaism. These currents had as common aspect innovation and giving to art a different space to the one it had in ancient times. In the twentieth century, contemporary art came to break traditional patterns and impose new characteristics in the way of making art.

Importance of contemporary art

Contemporary art is important because it gives us the idea that art is not separate from life or the world in which we live. The practice of contemporary art has become an exchange between the artist and the spectator rather than an image or object that we hope to admire. Contemporary art has become an extension of life that seeks questions, order and coherence. It promotes questions about our life and also brings with it fun.

Types

The types of art that are included in contemporary art are the following:

Fauvism: arose as a reaction to impressionism. Its main aspect was color, flat and extensive stains.
Cubism: Its creators were Picasso and Braques. They used neutral tones to create a fourth dimension. They had greater exaltation of the plane and used transparencies.
Expressionism: It arose in Germany and was a means to express the anguish suffered by the individual through paintings full of drama, expressive and through the figures caricature.
Dadaism: It arose as a protest against the First World War. It was a kind of mockery of technology and progress. Its main objective was to scandalize the bourgeoisie of the time.
Surrealism: Painters used resources such as the animation of the inanimate world, the isolation of anatomy, fantastic machines that evoked chaos.
Abstract art: Known as kinetic art or pop art, he was looking for a style that would give movement to the works. Its base said that any type of geometric form that was drawn could lose stability in the retina of the person who was observing it through optical illusion.

Architecture

It is the modern architecture of our times, mainly the one that began to be created in the 20th century. The main idea of this type of architecture is to reject the historical styles that were used in antiquity. It arises from the change brought about by the Industrial Revolution and French Revolution because with them, new construction materials were created, and the costs of the products were reduced. The most important buildings were columns, temples, triumphal arches and the Propylaea. Iron, zinc and glass were used. Engineering began to have more importance in architecture.

Sculpture

It is considered one of the most modern in art and was influenced by different artistic movements. Change is its main characteristic and the traditional functions it had were lost over time. Sculptures include new materials and new functions and symbology were used. Their tendencies are in constant evolution and the human figure with contemporary art lost importance.

Painting

Surges as a consequence of modern art and its bases were a set of signs and symbols initiated by modern painters. His main movements were impressionism, expressionism and neo-impressionism. The first modern painter of which we have reference was Francisco de Goya and the best modern painter was Vicent Van Gogh whose paintings gave rise to abstract painting and Fauvism.