Contemporary art is the usual name for the latest art trends, which formed and began to develop since the second half of the 20th century up to the present day. Along with artistic practices, this term describes criticism, philosophy, theory and education, curatorial and gallery activities, as well as thematic publications. Contemporary art grew out of postmodern traditions that raised questions about the authorship of a work, the originality of a painting or object, and the artist’s subjectivity. Speaking of the terminology of contemporary art, it must be distinguished between
modern art — the Art Nouveau style that developed during the 1850—1950s, and the subsequent period of contemporary art, which some may call “modern” as well, while some art critics consider the phrase “
actual art” more precise.
Contemporary art, the art of our days, implies not only a broad cultural dialogue, but also an extended contextual framework of artists’ work. They touch upon such topics as cultural and personal identity, nationality, values of certain communities. Contemporary art is characterized by its globality, eclecticism, diversity, non-trivial materials of paintings and objects and the absence of the common ideology. Below we present the lists of the brightest trends and artistic styles of contemporary art by decades:
1950s:
abstract expressionism, colourfield theory, COBRA avant-garde movement, the Gutai group, lyrical abstractionism,
nonconformism,
tachisme, situationism, the Viennese school of
fantastic realism.
1960s: figurative expressionism, Art & Language Group, Bay Area figurativeists,
conceptualism, Fluxus Society, happenning,
kinetic art,
minimalism, neo-Dada, american lyrical abstractionism,
new realism,
op art,
pop art,
psychedelic art.
1970s:
Arte Povera, body art, holographic art,
installation,
land art, Lowbrow movement,
photorealism, post-minimalism, wild style, video art.
1980s:
graffiti, fractal art,
postmodernism, neo-conceptualism,
neo-expressionism,
transavant-garde, video installation art, neo-pop art.
1990s: maximalism, art intervention,
bio-art, internet art, the Young German Artists and Young British Artists groups, New European Painting.
2000s: kitsch,
metamodernism,
street art,
stackism,
Takashi Murakami Superflat movement, New Aesthetics movement, passionism, neo-gothic, hybrid art.
The variety of contemporary trends in art indicates that the latest artistic trends and movements largely follow technical progress. Another bright feature of contemporary art is its direct and close connection with the structures and institutions of cultural appreciation, such as galleries, museums, biennials, art fairs.
Famous contemporary artworks:Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Beatles album cover) by Peter Blake, 1967
Khlebnikov by Anselm Kiefer, 1990
Puppy by Jeff Koons, 1992
Here by Eric Bulatov, 2001
Oval Buddha Silver by Takashi Murakami, 2008
Famous artists of the 21st century, who work in various areas of contemporary art:
Jeff Koons,
Takashi Murakami,
Anselm Kiefer,
Banksy,
Gerhard Richter,
Yayoi Kusama,
Peter Blake,
Lucien Freud,
Eric Bulatov, Marina Abramović.