Education

History of Modern Art

"The history of modern art is often confusing and elusive even to people who collect art and frequent galleries," says the newest web page on Contemporary Art Dialogue, http://www.contemporary-art-dialogue.com/history-of-modern-art.htm. The website/blog's owner/writer, Liz Goldner, goes on to relate a conversation with an art collector about artwork at a local contemporary gallery.

When the art collector replied,  "Oh, the art is contemporary and modern," Goldner realized that even art collectors are now always well-informed about the history of modern art. So she decided to write a blog page about the history, the difference between modern and contemporary art, and even looked at the origin of the word "modern" along the way.

The web page goes on to explain that contemporary art refers to art created now or to art that is contemporary to us. Contemporary art is also identified as art from the 1960's or 70's up until this minute. Then it explains that the modern art style was in vogue from about 1860 to 1970.

Contemporary art is more socially conscious and philosophically inclusive of several styles and media than art of previous eras, the page continues.  Contemporary art includes hybrids of styles, and encompasses pre-modern, modern and pop and has conceptual, political and social messages, and addresses feminism, multiculturalism, globalization, bioengineering and AIDS, among other trends.

Yet people not schooled in the history of modern art often use modern to describe contemporary art, Goldner says.

Modern art actually began in the 1860's with impressionist works by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro and several other artists, most of them French.

The movement is also said to have begun with: romanticism in the early 1800's;
Louis Daguerre's invention of the daguerreotype in 1839, presumably pre-empting the work of realistic painters; the writer Baudelaire who in 1846 called upon artists to be of their time; and the first exhibition of impressionist art in Paris in 1874.

Modern art is exemplified by the departure from tradition and by experimentation, Goldner continues. This "modernism" trend influenced the art styles for the next 100 years with their clearly visible brushstrokes, dissolving images, and later surrealism, conceptualism, abstraction and the acceptance of line, form, color and process, among other characteristics.

Goldner also looks at the meaning of the term, "avant-garde," frequently used to describe contemporary art. Avant-garde was originally a French military term, meaning vanguard, she says. Later, artists in the early modern artists used it to describe their work, meaning that their work was at the forefront of art trends. English speakers first used the term 100 years ago in 1910.

The history of modern art is interesting, complex and often confusing. But so much of life that is meaningful and fun is often that way, Goldner concludes.

About the Author

Liz Goldner's articles on art span the breadth and depth of works shown in Southern California, with references to national and international art pieces. Her stories, reviews and web pages bring to life painters, sculptors and performance artists; gallery and museum directors; community leaders, entrepreneurs and celebrities. She is creator/writer of the website/blog: http://www.contemporary-art-dialogue.com.

A Critique Of Modern Art

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