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In order to fully understand the difference between modern art and contemporary art, it is vital to relate the narrative of Gustave Courbet, a French painter who pioneered the Realist movement in the nineteenth century.
Most prominent painters of his period, including Courbet, questioned the Romanticism idea (you can read all about romanticism here). He stuck to his convictions of painting just what the eyes could perceive. The Cubists and Impressionists were only two of the numerous artist groups that benefited from his “independent mind,” which allowed them to grow and develop their work.
During the 1849-1850 periods, when art was still created using very conventional means, the Romanticism style became popular. This was the time when Courbet produced and presented the picture “A Burial at Ornans,” which was panned by critics due to its unusual dimensions of 10 feet by 22 feet and the fact that it did not conform to Romanticisms ‘rules’ and styles.
Critics at the time did not like the work, or message of Courbet’s painting “A Burial At Ornans”.
Rather than conforming to the art movement of the time (Romanticism) Courbet depicted this scene of his uncle’s burial in a very realistic style. Courbet painted this scene by only painting what he could see, not including emotion.
This didn’t play well with the critics, as they were keep for a piece that was part of the romanticism, which would have displayed grief and mourning, for example, but they were not shown. In contrast to traditional Romantic paintings, which depict emotions and surrealism. It maintained its reality. Instead of using painting models, he painted real individuals who were there at the funeral.
So how did this realistic painting of a funeral help the movement of modern and contemporary art?
No one could have foreseen the painting’s popularity and fame in the art world, even his friends, family, and loved ones. His distinct style cemented his reputation as the “first modern artist,” ushering in the “Modern Art Period.”
What is Modern Art?
When we hear the word “modern,” we immediately think of fresh, stylish, and fashionable items.
The style and concept of artworks created between 1890 and 1960 may be simply defined as “Modern Art.”
In other words, the style included numerous Modern Art principles while focusing more on social, economic, and political issues. This was made feasible through the employment of innovative materials and components in the creation of art. The fundamental goal of Modern Art was to put aside the conventional customs of the past and focus on a new way of recognising and evaluating the world’s present concerns.
How did Modern Art Move us Into a New Era of Art?
Many new thoughts and ideas were brought into the realm of art as a result of the modernism movement.
As a result, many painters of the time began to focus their work on dreams, symbolism, and personal iconography. Other painters began experimenting with colour and non-traditional materials.
Many well-known painters, such as Pablo Picasso, were influenced by this, and with Modernism, he created a new style of painting. It was known as cubism, and it was recognised for its geometric shapes. Then, up until the 1830s, it evolved further.
The development of art photography and film cameras gave painters new means to depict world scenes and drawings in their works.
Fauvism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Dadaism, Cubism, Surrealism, Expressionism, Pop Art, and many more art forms are all characterised as part of the age of ‘Modernism.’
All of these helped to lay the groundwork for Modernism Art. A variety of elements inspired these art styles, including African and Asian art, light, culture, history, and so on.
What is Contemporary Art?
Contemporary art, by definition, is art that is created since World War II and is used to characterise the works of artists who are currently alive and making artworks.
Art critic Roger Fry formed the Contemporary Art Society in London in 1910, which was the first time the word was used.
The word was used after WWII to describe the art movement.
It was regarded by critics as a period when “modern art” was no longer relevant enough to have a beneficial impact on future generations.
The term contemporary has been used from the time of Modernism, but it was a specific form of work that did not refer to a specific historical period.
Instead, it was focused only on current events such as social, economic, and political concerns.
What are the Characteristics of Contemporary Art?
Contemporary art generated experimental pieces that addressed a broader variety of social, economic, and political concerns.
This concept mirrored current world concerns such as racism, globalisation, oppression, poverty, and feminism, to name a few. Over the last 30 years, we’ve seen an increasing number of artworks that raise awareness of the most essential and pressing issues. Video art, salons, item designs, graphical arts, and social media were all prominent.
Contemporary art also appears to be addressing and revealing new concerns that will arise in the future. One of the most noticeable distinctions between Modern and Contemporary art is this.
There are numerous venues in the globe to see and experience both modern and contemporary art for those who are interested. Take, for example, New York, one of the greatest cities in the United States, which is home to some of the most valuable museums in the country, with many magnificent masterpieces.
Bullet Pointed (Summarised)
- The term “modern art” refers to art created after the 1880s. Contemporary art refers to the works of artists who are still alive and working now.
- Modern art is revolutionary because of its anti-romanticism origins, but Contemporary art is revolutionary because of the artists’ freedom and scope of experimentation.
- Modern art is more self-expressive, whereas Contemporary art is concerned with society and is consequently recognised for its social effect.
- Modern art is generally created on canvases, but Contemporary art is created on any media imaginable, including video art, technologically-enabled artworks, product design, and graphic arts.
- Contemporary art takes a strong stance on social, political, and cultural elements of the world, whereas modern art concentrates on subjective depiction of chosen subjects.
Information Citations
En.wikipedia.org, https://en.wikipedia.org/.
