Before understanding what modern art is and how it is defined based on the concept of art, modernity, application of styles, and main exponents, it is prudent to understand art as a movement.
We conceive art not only as a form of expression, but as a way to project emotions, make injustices visible, or seek social change, focusing on preconceived ideas or focusing on the search for an ideal of constant improvement.
Below we will detail what modern art is and its characteristics, and we will delve into the relationship between modern art and power, as well as what modern art represents itself.
If you are interested in modern art, its history, and its styles, keep reading!
What is modern art? And the story behind it
Many times we observe different types of works and artistic pieces that attract our attention in a singular way, possibly many of those works or artists that you admire are considered exponents in the artistic trend known as modern art. You may wonder what modern art is?
Next, we will briefly analyze the history of modern and contemporary art to understand what their differences are. In the same way, we will mention what modern art was and some of the most prominent modern art artists.
The origin of modern art occurred in the period between the 19th century and the 1970s, and this new artistic concept was founded on the expansion of the main emblematic knowledge of art, to reinvent itself with new ideas and styles.
This type of modern art was called in different ways in different countries: in Italy, it was called Floreale, in France and Belgium it was called Art Nouveau and in Germany, it was called Jugendstil.
These are just a few examples of what modern art is, based on the impact it generated within this new artistic trend throughout the world and the significant influence it projected over the course of its history and consolidation. For this reason, modern art sought to be a free and avant-garde movement to end to the tradition of art. This new stage could be confused with contemporary art, but we should not do it since they are extremely different styles.
To understand the difference between contemporary and modern art, and not to confuse them between them, you must be clear about what modern art represents itself, therefore, you must know that modern art was part of a process of innovation of traditional art that aimed to develop another way of understanding art.
Meanwhile, contemporary art is based on aesthetics, on reflecting everyday situations using various techniques to develop. Some of the main artists who are part of this movement are Yayoi Kusuma, Van Gogh, Jeff Koons, Yoko Ono, and Ai Weiwei.
To understand what modern art is based on painting and modern art artists, we found four artists with great renown and influence in the artistic movement, they are Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, and Salvador Dalí.
Pablo Picasso: Pablo Ruíz Picasso was born on October 25, 1881, in the city of Malaga in Spain. Picasso participated in multiple competitions during his youth and as an adult he became consolidated as a professional painter, having a lot of repercussions, especially due to the themes and structure of his works, where it was possible to observe a new style of deformed figures together with a great knowledge of the paintings. Among his works are: “Guernica”, “Woman in front of the mirror”, “The woman who cries”, among others.
Vincent Van Gogh: He was born on March 30, 1853, in Holland, and died on July 29, 1890. He always had a great fondness for art, so he went to Paris during his early adolescence and met, well, impressionist art. Passionate about his work, he painted using striking colors, contoured shapes, and emphatic brushstrokes. He worked on more than 2,100 works, including “The Starry Night” and “Sunflowers”, among others.
Andy Warhol: He was born on August 6, 1928, in the United States, he had Slovak descent. He studied Commercial Art in his hometown (Pittsburgh) and later moved to New York, where he worked as a publicist and illustrator. In his artistic works, he represented many cultural symbols of his country such as Campbell’s soup can and Coca-Cola.
Salvador Dalí: He was born in Spain in 1904. At just twelve years old, he discovered impressionist painting and was attracted to modern expressionist art. Later, he was related to artists of the medium such as Picasso and demonstrated his artistic gifts. His main works include: “The persistence of memory”, “The metamorphosis of Narcissus”, “The temptation of Saint Anthony”, among others.
We can analyze the beauty of modern art and its conception of the abstract as a form of expression linked to impressionism, expressionism, cubism, and other artistic currents. We find a similarity between the styles previously worked on and the works of many modernist artists.
However, although the definition of modern art paintings predominates, we must take into account that there are many types of modern art. We can also find these expressions of modern art in poetry, sculpture, architecture, and writing.
Characteristics of modern art
Based on the concept of what modern art or modernism is, it is key that you know the main characteristics that best define this artistic trend and its influence.
You must bear in mind, as the main characteristic, that modern art focuses, without a doubt, on the freedom of creation. That is, it is based on a creative process that does not follow without following any defined structure, pattern, or mold, unlike many classical artists.
It is in Europe where we find the first vestiges of this break from the traditional, where many artists sought to represent many internal sensations focused on fears, joys, doubts, expectations, feelings, and passions. Thus, these artistic trends reflected and allowed the limits of creative freedom to flow, leaving behind the creative past.
Some of its own and important characteristics within modern art were:
- Liberation of aesthetics
- Humorous language
- Value the everyday
- Freedom in rehearsals
Differences between modern art and contemporary art
After having a base on what modern art was and analyzing the examples of what modern art itself is, we understand that, although this current has notable similarities and differences with contemporary art, they can confuse several people.
We have shown you a summary of what modern art is, but in order for you to understand the differences between this art and contemporary art, we must briefly explain what contemporary art is.
Contemporary art developed in 1960 and continues to this day. Likewise, it is based on the concept of postmodernity that emerged after the 1960s, governed by a new group conscience, where they deny the past and seek to create a new artistic language.
As examples of artists, we find Damien Hirst and Marina Abramóvic, as well as some contemporary museums such as S.M.A.K in Belgium and Le Center Georges Pompidou in Paris. Contemporary art continues in constant expansion and evolution.
It is time to solve your doubts about the differences between modern and contemporary art, what is the most crucial difference and what notable characteristics help to differentiate them. We find that in modern art there is a prior organization of the techniques used and the incorporation of new technologies. Contemporary art, on the other hand, did not seek to follow a specific pattern based on the techniques used.