Modern art is an important period in the history of art. Before 1945, all styles and practices were linked. But after the war, it was replaced by contemporary art. It is an art that consists of talented people freely expressing their feelings through their works. But did you know that it was the intervention of an artist that completely changed the course of history?
What is contemporary art?
It is all the works created and published by artists from 1945 to the present day. It involves the style, aesthetic practices and, in particular, the plastic art of this time. Indeed, contemporary art replaced modern art from 1850 to 1945. At that time, the visions of the artists were unknown to everyone. This even led to debates in society.
Nowadays, contemporary art encompasses several trends. There is, for example, the famous "Pop Art", "Street Art" and “digital art”. There are also other current artistic productions such as photography, painting and sculptures. Moreover, these can be found everywhere, whether in museums or on the street.
The precursors of contemporary art
After the war, Marcel Duchamp is known as the first precursor of the evolution of art. He was an artist in the field of painting and plastic art. He created the "Fountain", a kind of inverted porcelain urinal. It was with this work that he was able to revolutionise his talent. As a result, his work remains the most controversial of the 20th century.
Subsequently, many contemporary artists were influenced and they began to show their work in the open. This is the case with Michel Journiac, a French artist who made Messe pour un corps. The same goes for Chris Burden and his body art, which was exceptionally powerful and provocative.
Current and former contemporary artists
In 1956, painters Jirō Yoshihara and Saburō Murakami produced a performance that changed the history of art in the 20th century. Their exhibition embodied a revolution in the free art of the body in an innovative way in Tokyo. A little further on, there is Matthew Barney, an American artist. He produced art by exposing his body to very complex artistic experiments.
Nowadays, many contemporary artists have appeared. For example, Casey Jenkins and his performance art in knitting. Not to mention Tino Sehgal, a British artist who focuses more on the body and social interactions.
Contemporary art is therefore an activity that brings together artists from the 1940s and their works with those of today. Even if the styles and fields are different, their goals are the same: to showcase their unique art in a free way.