The history of art is complex due to significant ideas, canons, traditions, preferences, and

dominance of styles and media. Art history is segmented into identifiable periods and
movements, highlighting the connection between art and culture in everyday life. Art is
embedded in society's affairs, offering insight into beliefs of specific eras and how they were
translated into how people saw themselves and the world. This lesson aims to provide a glimpse
of contemporary art, its understanding, definition, and representation both within and beyond the
art world.

Defining contemporary

The term "contemporary" is often assumed to be simple and understood, but it can be
challenging to define due to dissenting views on the interpretation of the "present," "today," and
"now." This complexity is particularly evident when focusing on the term "art" and it becomes
fuzzy. Therefore, it is essential to understand and appreciate the complexity of contemporary art.

Museums often include artists' names in their names but promote works from earlier periods. For
instance, the Institute of Contemporary Art in London promotes art from 1947. The New
Museum of Contemporary Art in New York starts at 1977, while the TATE frames
contemporaneity on a rolling basis within their Museum of Contemporary Art. This timeline may
be skewed if contemporary art started decades later.

Contemporary art is a distinct period that emerged from the emergence of postmodernism in the
1970s. This period saw artists moving away from past conventions and traditions, embracing
freedom and adapting to the increasingly complex world. Artists celebrated novel opportunities
in art, from materials to manipulation and ways of seeing and thinking about art. This period was
marked by heavy mass production of goods, industrialization, new technology, urbanization, and
the rise of commercially driven culture. Artists were committed to developing a language of their
own, original but representative, drawing the world in their own terms.

The term "contemporary art" can be traced back to the 1970s, as it was marked by the emergence
of "postmodernism" and the decline of clearer artistic movements. The social, political, and
cultural context continued to provoke artists to create, providing a potent source of reference for
their works. The term "contemporary art" can be better understood by recognizing its
predecessor, modern art, and the broader social, political, and cultural context that shaped it.

Contemporary art has evolved significantly over the years, driven by ideas and theories, and the
blurring of notions of what is considered art. It has been heavily influenced by various mediums,
techniques, and styles, including television, photography, cinema, digital technology,
performance, and everyday objects. The transition into contemporaneity was influenced by
several art movements, including abstract expressionism, which combined abstraction with
gestural techniques, mark-making, and spontaneity in visual articulation.

The New York School of painters, including Clyfford Still, Jackson Pollock, Willem de
Kooning, Barnett Newman, and Mark Rothko, created abstract works that conveyed and elicited
emotion, particularly those residing in the subconscious. Two major styles emerged from this:
action painting and color fields. Action painting highlighted the process of creation, while color
fields emphasized the emotional power of colors.

Optical art, or op art, emerged in the early 1960s, relying on creating an illusion to inform the
experience of the artwork using color, pattern, and other perspective tricks. This movement
inspired artists in different countries to create their own iterations of op art, showcasing
dynamism and dynamism in their works.

In conclusion, contemporary art has evolved significantly over time, driven by various ideas,
theories, and movements that have shaped the way we view and interact with art.

In the early 1950s, artists like Jesus Soto, Guenther Uecker, and Castellani expanded their works
to include plexiglass and metal rods. Kinetic art emerged, combining art and technology, with
artists like Naum Gabo, Alexander Calden, Jean Tinguely, Bridget Riley, and Nicolas Schoffer
creating sculptural works. Theo Jansen, a recent kinetic artist, created massive sculptures using
plastic tubes and PVC pipes.

In Japan, post-war platforms, known as gutai (1950s-1970s), were used to convey ideas of
freedom, individuality, and openness to the international sphere. Gutai straddled multiple
platforms, including performance, theatrical events, installation, and painting. The Gutai Art
Association was founded by Yoshihara Jirö in 1952, and artists like Tanaka Atsuko, Saburö
Murakami, Kanayma Akira, Murakami Saburo, and Shozo Shimamoto contributed to this
movement.

Minimalism emerged in the early 1960s in New York, testing the boundaries of various media. It
favored geometric shapes, color fields, and industrial materials, focusing on anonymity over
expressive excess. Key figures in this movement included Agnes Martin, Robert Morris, Sol
LeWitt, Dan Flavin, Carl Andre, and Donald Judd. The subtext of minimalism was deference to
truth, with a utopic aura.

Pop art, a movement that emerged in the 1950s, was a critical critique of the art world, focusing
on the relationship between art and real life. Artists turned to commodities designed for the
masses, such as ads, packaging, comic books, movies, and pop music, to elevate popular culture
as a parity with fine art. The movement was characterized by discussions on the hierarchy of
"high culture" and "low culture" and "fine art" and "low art."

Pop art was criticized for its use of "low" objects and subject matters, lacking the elevated aura
required by other art forms. Some artists associated with pop art include Andy Warhol, James
Rosenquist, Claes Oldenburg, Richard Hamilton, Tom Wesselman, Ed Ruscha, and Roy
Lichtenstein, many of whom came from commercial art careers.

Postmodernism, a movement that solidified the move to contemporary art, formalized the
critique towards modernism and its claim over art for the better of the twentieth century. It was
rooted in analytic philosophy, emphasizing the importance of individual experience and
complexity. Postmodernism encroaches on smaller movements such as conceptual art, neo-
expressionism, feminist art, and the Young British Artists of the 1990s.
Contemporary art emerged during a time of social disorder, with movements embracing
experimental formats such as film, photography, video, performance, installations, site-specific
works, and earth works. These movements often overlap, resulting in dynamic combinations of
concepts, subjects, materials, techniques, and methods of creation. Contemporary art is
considered the most socially aware and involved form of art, with its works often addressing
pressing, heated, and controversial issues of contemporary society. Neo-Pop Art, a movement in
the 1980s, adapted some of the first ideas of Dada, using ready-made materials for artwork.

Pop art, influenced by artists like Katharina Fritsch, Daniel Edwards, Jeff Koons, Keith Haring,
Mark Kostabi, and Damien Hirst, resurged anarchy and critiqued popular culture, often using
iconic figures like Marilyn Monroe, Jackie O, Madonna, and Michael Jackson. These artists were
more affrontive with their evaluations of the world through their works. Koons' "Puppy" uses
computer modeling to create a giant topiary, referencing saccharine ideas of sentimentality,
security, and banality. The resurgence of figurative art, where realistic depictions are a choice,
demonstrates the varied and fragmented nature of postmodemism.

Conceptualism, influenced by pop art, fought against the idea that art is a commodity and
emphasized the importance of the idea or concept in the work. Major conceptual artists include
Jenny Holzer, Damien Hirst, and Ai Wei Wei. Conceptualism involves artists making planning
and decisions beforehand, with execution being a perfunctory affair. This movement brought
issues brought about by art institutions like museums and galleries.

Performance art, a movement that began in the 1960s, focuses on the idea or message of an
artwork rather than entertaining its audience. It can be planned or spontaneous, live or recorded,
and is considered ephemeral. Performance art is not about the medium or format but how a
specific context is created through engagement or interaction, allowing questions, concerns, and
conditions to be explored through interaction.

Installation art is an immersive, large-scale, site-specific, and temporary work that transforms the
environment or space in which the viewer interacts. It often uses various objects, materials,
conditions, and light components, and is often temporary or ephemeral. Notable installation
artists include Allan Kaprow, Yoyai Kusama, and Dale Chihuly.

Earth art is a form of human intervention in natural environments, transforming specific sites or
spaces. It focuses on landscape manipulation and materials, often taken from the ground or
vegetation. Artists like Robert Smithson, Christo, Richard Long, Andy Goldsworthy, and Jeanne-
Claude are known for their work.

The graffiti art movement emerged in the 1980s, influenced by ink, print, and various media
techniques. Examples include murals, stenciled images, stickers, installations, and sculptural
objects. These works are often found in public spaces and are often unsanctioned, unlike
museums and galleries. However, they also exist in traditional exhibition spaces like the white
cube, where there are no governing rules. Famous street artists include Michel Basquiat, Keith
Haring, Shepard Fairey, and Banksy. Banksy's popularity is reflected in a film documentary.
Other notable street artists include Gordon Matta-Clark, Jenny Holzer, and Barba Kruger.
The twenty-first century is filled with promise and excitement, with artists and movements
producing a rich array of works. Although some movements may have faded or stopped, new
artists are reshaping the art landscape. Art students may encounter more movements that
challenge themselves, society, and the odd in the future.