| This is a basic question,
and a little confusing to answer because the terms
"contemporary," "modern," and "abstract" can be used
interchange-ably at times. Let us start with "modern
art." Modern art is a classification of an art period
that started around 1870 by Impressionists like Claude
Monet. It is understood that modern artists are those
who experimented with new ways of seeing, expressing new
ideas and methods. But technically the modern art
movement ended around the 1960's and 70's when the term
"postmodern" started to be used and pop art became the
new thing.
Abstract art is a style of painting a departure from
reality and was definitely modern at the time.
Abstraction in paintings started to make the scene right
around the same time modern art became known because it
is a painting style classified in the modern art
movement. But full blown abstract paintings really
started appearing early 1900's in Europe by the likes of
Pablo Picasso and others in the cubism movement. |
|
Abstract art really was not
created in America until the 1940's in the abstract
expressionism movement with Jackson Pollock at the helm.
Because abstract art is a style of painting and not a
classification of an art period, abstract paintings are
still being created today.
And that brings us to right now. Right now we use the
term "contemporary" to define artwork as being created
in our lifetime or in the current present moment. So any
paintings being created right now are contemporary
paintings no matter what the style. What has happened is
that people generally use "contemporary art" to describe
artwork from the 1970's until now. It is hard, if not
near impossible to define a period while we are living
in it. One might wonder, will we always use the word
"contemporary" to describe the artwork being created in
the present moment? Or will there be an end to the use
of the word "contemporary" signifying an end of another
artwork period very similarly to how "modern" was used.
I don't know. But in any case, I hope this information
has helped and not confused you even more. |
