Princess Elyz J.

Monleon June 16, 2017

Gr. 12

About Contemporary Art

Strictly speaking, the term "contemporary art" refers to art made and produced by artists
living today. Today's artists work in and respond to a global environment that is culturally
diverse, technologically advancing, and multifaceted. Working in a wide range of mediums,
contemporary artists often reflect and comment on modern-day society. When engaging with
contemporary art, viewers are challenged to set aside questions such as, "Is a work of art good?"
or "Is the work aesthetically pleasing?" Instead, viewers consider whether art is "challenging" or
"interesting." Contemporary artists may question traditional ideas of how art is defined, what
constitutes art, and how art is made, while creating a dialogue with—and in some cases
rejecting—the styles and movements that came before them.

Since the early 20th century, some artists have turned away from realistic representation
and the depiction of the human figure, and have moved increasingly towards abstraction. In New
York City after World War II, the art world coined the term "abstract expressionism" to
characterize an art movement that was neither completely abstract, nor expressionistic.
Nevertheless, the movement challenged artists to place more emphasis on the process of making
art rather than the final product. Artists like Jackson Pollock brought art-making to
choreographic heights by dripping paint in grand yet spontaneous gestures. As one critic noted,
the canvas was an arena in which to act—"what was going on in the canvas was not a picture but
an event." This notion of art as an event emerged out of the movement called abstract
expressionism, which greatly influenced the art movements that followed, and continues to
inspire artists living today.

Contemporary artists working within the postmodern movement reject the concept of
mainstream art and embrace the notion of "artistic pluralism," the acceptance of a variety of
artistic intentions and styles. Whether influenced by or grounded inperformance art, pop art,
Minimalism, conceptual art, or video, contemporary artists pull from an infinite variety of
materials, sources, and styles to create art. For this reason, it is difficult to briefly summarize and
accurately reflect the complexity of concepts and materials used by contemporary artists. This
overview highlights a few of the contemporary artists whose work is on view at the Getty
Museum and the concepts they explore in their work.
Appropriation
Contemporary artists, like many artists that preceded them,
may acknowledge and find inspiration in art works from
previous time periods in both subject matter and formal
elements. Sometimes this inspiration takes the form
of appropriation. Artist John Baldessari "borrowed" an image
from 1505 of a stag beetle by the German artist Albrecht Dürer
and made it his own. Using modern-day materials (ink-jet
printing mounted on a fiberglass panel), Baldessari juxtaposed
the original image with a piece of sculpture in the form of a
giant steel pin. By inserting the steel pin into the canvas,
Baldessari combines mediums in a very modern way.
Video Art Specimen (After Dürer), John
In the 1960s, artists began to turn to the medium of video to Baldessari, 2000
redefine fine art. Through video art, many artists have
© 2000 John Baldessari
challenged preconceived notions of art as high priced, high- This work was commissioned
brow, and only decipherable by elite members of society. forDepartures: 11 Artists at the
Video art is not necessarily a type of art that individuals would Getty, February 29–May 7, 2000,
want to own, but rather an experience. Continuing the trend of by the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los
redefining earlier ideas and ideals about art, some Angeles
contemporary video artists are seeking to do away with the
notion of art as a commodity. Artists turning to video have used the art form as a tool for change,
a medium for ideas. Some video art openly acknowledges the power of the medium of television
and the Internet, thus opening the doors of the art world to the masses.
Such artists seek to elevate the process of creating art and
move beyond the notion that art should only be valued as an
aesthetically pleasing product. Video art exemplifies this, for
the viewer watches the work as it is actually being made; they
watch as the process unfolds. Video installation pieces
combine video with sound, music, and/or other interactive
components. In Nicole Cohen's Please Be Seated, viewers are
asked to be active participants. Using innovative video
technologies, participants can sit on replicas of 18th-century
French chairs and watch television screens in which they are
virtually inserted in historic recreations of 18th-century French
spaces. While traditional works of art are in galleries with
signs that say "Do not touch," Cohen invites you to physically
participate. In this way, the viewer becomes part of the work of
art.
Visitors interact with Nicole
Cohen's installation at the Getty
Center.
Site-Specific Art
Robert Irwin is another artist who sought to involve the
viewer, as seen in his garden at the Getty Center. In the
Central Garden, which Irwin has playfully termed "a
sculpture in the form of a garden aspiring to be art,"
viewers can experience a maze-like configuration of
plants, stones, and water. Here visitors get completely
immersed in the sensation of being within the work of
art. The sense of smell, touch, and sound are juxtaposed
The Getty Center's Central Garden
with the colors and textures of the garden. All of the designed by Robert Irwin
foliage and materials of the garden were selected to
accentuate the interplay of light, color, and reflection. A
statement by Irwin, "Always changing, never twice the
same," is carved into the plaza floor, reminding visitors
of the ever-changing nature of this living work of art. In this way, Irwin subverts the idea that a
work of art should be paint on a canvas. Rather, nature can be art.

By creating a garden specifically designed for the Getty Center, Irwin engages in site-
specific art. Many contemporary artists who create site-specific works move art out of museums
and galleries and into communities to address socially significant issues and/or raise social
consciousness. In the case of Irwin's garden and Martin Puryear'sThat Profile (also on view at the
Getty Center), works of art are commissioned by museums to enhance and incorporate their
surrounding environments. That Profile, stationed on the plaza at the foot of the stairs leading to
the Museum, mimics the grid-like patterns of the Getty Center building itself. Weighing 7,500
pounds, That Profile is massive. However the work's graceful and curving lines have a "light and
airy" quality that capitalizes on the surrounding mountains and ocean views visible from the
Getty's plaza.

Questions such as "What is art?" and "What is the function of art?" are relatively new. Creating
art that defies viewers' expectations and artistic conventions is a distinctly modern concept.
However, artists of all eras are products of their relative cultures and time periods. Contemporary
artists are in a position to express themselves and respond to social issues in a way that artists of
the past were not able to. When experiencing contemporary art at the Getty Center, viewers use
different criteria for judging works of art than criteria used in the past. Instead of asking, "Do I
like how this looks?" viewers might ask, "Do I like the idea this artist presents?" Having an open
mind goes a long way towards understanding, and even appreciating, the art of our own era.
Modern Art and Postmodern Art

Modern Art vs Postmodern Art

The difference between modern art and postmodern art can be discussed in terms of their
period,concepts and ideas. In fact, many find it difficult to comprehend the difference between
modern art and postmodern art because the two types of art are often confused when it comes to
the understanding of their concepts and ideas. It is interesting to note thatmodernism roughly is
estimated to have begun in the 1860s and went on till about 1950s. On the other hand,
postmodernism began after 1968. Postmodern art uses the help of technology to increase the
speed of the creation process. Postmodern art also is not so focused on the individual as the
modern art. Postmodern art is criticized as not being an art by traditional artists.

What is Modern Art?

Modern art is based on the creative ability of the artist. Hence, during the modernist era, art was
considered as unique creations of the artist. It is believed that the works of modern art had deep
meaning. This is due to the fact that the artist gave more importance to purpose during the times
of modern art. Modern art believed in the theory of going deep into the subject. Media influence
is seen less in the case of modern art. Modern art focuses on the artist following the traditional
method of creating art by going step by step slowly.
 Country road in Provence by Night

by Vincent van Gogh

The time period concerned with modern art puts it from the period of Impressionism to half-way
through the Pop-Art movement. Names of some of the modern artists are Henri Matisse, Pablo
Picasso, Wassily Kandisnky, Marcel Duchamp, Alexander Calder, Mark Rothko, Helen
Frankenthaler, Georgia O’Keefe, Ellsworth Kelly, Al Held, Bruce Nauman, and Bridget Riley.

What is Postmodern Art?

On the other hand, during the post modernist era, especially after the advent of computer, art
became digital in the sense that it was represented in the form of graphics and the [Link]
preservation of art also is being done with the help of digital media during the postmodernism
period. In other words, the art works began to be copied and preserved by the means of digital
media. The original meaning ofcreativity is lost in the postmodern art period. Everything became
computerized. Remixes became the order of the day paving for the loss of creativity and
originality in the postmodern art period. Also, postmodern art does not believe in the theory of
going deep into the subject. In fact, the reliance on technology has grown by leaps and bounds in
the postmodern art period. Media influence is seen more in the case of postmodern art.
Postmodern art has cut short the traditional method of creating art. With the use of technology,
the artists do not take as much time as the earlier artists to finish their creation.
 A creation of Lawrence Weiner

Postmodern artists include Barbara Kruger, Jenny Holzer, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Jeff
Koons, Takashi Murakaim, and Nan Goldin.

What is the difference between Modern Art and Postmodern Art?

• It is believed that the works of modern art had deep meaning. This is due to the fact that the
artist gave more importance to the purpose during the times of modern art. On the other hand,
during the post modernist era, especially after the advent of computer, art became digital in the
sense that it was represented in the form of graphics and the like. This is the main difference
between the two words modern art and postmodern art.

• Modern art believed in the theory of going deep into the subject. On the other hand,
postmodern art does not believe in the theory of going deep into the subject.

• Media influence is seen more in the case of postmodern art whereas media influence is seen
less in the case of modern art.

• In modern art, the artist takes time to make the final production as he goes through the process
of making art. However, in postmodern art, artist does not spend as much time as in modern art
and uses the aid of technology to increase the speed in which he can work.
• In modern art, you will see actual paintings. However, in postmodern art, you will see that
creations include not only painting but sometimes texts. This is something you do not see in
modern art.

• While modern art believes in the individual, postmodern art believes that social context
matters. Postmodern art does not give that much importance to the individual as modern art does.
That is because postmodern art believes that the social context affects the actions of the
individual.

These are the differences between modern art and postmodern art.