About Contemporary Art

Read About the Artistic Movement of Contemporary Art

The term contemporary art refers to art made by artists living today, although it can also mean art made since 1960. 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 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 toward abstract art. In New York City after World War II, the art world coined the term “Abstract Expressionism” to characterize an art movement whose work was mostly abstract yet expressed feeling. To achieve this, artists began 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, writing, “what was going on in the canvas was not a picture but an event.” This notion of art as an “event,” not just a final product, emerged out of the movement of Abstract Expressionism, which greatly influenced the art movements that followed, and continues to inspire artists living today.

Contemporary artists working within the postmodern movement (starting in the 1970s) rejected the concept of mainstream art and embraced the notion of “artistic pluralism,” the acceptance of a variety of artistic intentions and styles. Whether influenced by or grounded in performance art, Pop Art, Minimalism, conceptual art, or video, 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 who 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, 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. The result was Baldessari’s work entitled Specimen (After Dürer).

Video Art

In the 1960s, artists began to turn to the medium of video to redefine fine art. Through video art, many artists have challenged preconceived notions of art as high priced, high-brow, and only understood by elite members of society. Video art is not necessarily a type of art that individuals would want to own, but rather an experience. Video installation pieces combine video with sound, music, and/or other interactive components.

Continuing the trend of redefining earlier ideas and ideals about art, some 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, and 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.

Site-Specific Art

Many contemporary artists who create site-specific art move artworks out of museums and galleries into other places, such as communities to address socially significant issues, or to respond to the history and context of a specific location. In some cases, artworks are commissioned by museums or other organizations to enhance and incorporate their surrounding environments into the development of the artwork.

One example of site-specific art at the Getty Museum is That Profile, stationed on the plaza at the foot of the stairs leading to the Museum. Made by Martin Puryear, this sculpture mimics the grid-like patterns of the Getty Center’s building. Weighing 7,500 pounds, That Profile is massive. However, the work’s graceful and curving lines have a “light and airy” quality that focuses on the surrounding mountains and ocean views visible from the Getty plaza.

Another example of site-specific art at the Getty Museum is the Central Garden by Robert Irwin. Irwin playfully termed it “a sculpture in the form of a garden aspiring to be art.” Irwin wanted to involve the viewer in his work. Visitors can feel immersed in the sensation of being within the artwork, experiencing a maze-like configuration of plants, stones, and water. The sense of smell, touch, and sound are juxtaposed with the colors and textures of the garden. All of the foliage and materials of the garden are selected to accentuate the interplay of light, color, and reflection. A statement by Irwin, “Always changing, never twice the same,” is carved into the Central Garden plaza floor, reminding visitors of the ever-changing nature of this living work of art. In this way, Irwin subverted the idea that an artwork should be paint on a canvas. Rather, nature can be art.

Questions such as “What is art?” and “What is the function of art?” have been asked throughout history, but 20th and 21st-century artists have explored them in new and more direct ways. 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, viewers use different criteria for judging artworks 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 era.

Questions

Write or discuss your responses.

• How is contemporary art different from traditional art? What criteria should viewers use when engaging with contemporary artworks?
• The reading suggests viewers should ask whether art is “challenging” or “interesting” rather than “good” or “aesthetically pleasing.” Do you agree with this shift? Why or why not?
• How did Abstract Expressionism change the way artists and viewers think about art? What does it mean to view a canvas as “an arena in which to act” rather than simply a picture?
• What is “artistic pluralism,” and why do postmodern artists embrace this concept? What are the advantages and potential challenges of rejecting the idea of mainstream art?
• John Baldessari “borrowed” an image from 1505 and combined it with modern materials. Is this appropriation a legitimate form of artistic creation, or does it raise ethical concerns about originality?
• How does video art challenge traditional notions of art as a commodity? Do you think making art more accessible through video and digital media strengthens or weakens its value?
• Robert Irwin’s Central Garden is described as “a sculpture in the form of a garden aspiring to be art.” Where is the line between nature and art? Can anything become art if an artist intends it to be?
• After reading this overview, has your understanding of what constitutes “art” changed? How comfortable are you with the idea that art can challenge conventions rather than simply please the eye?

Art that uses shapes, colors, and lines instead of showing real things exactly as they look.

An art movement that developed in New York City in the 1940s and 50s featuring large canvases filled with nonrepresentational imagery and gestural brushwork. Instead of showing recognizable objects, abstract expressionist paintings are characterized by line, color, and brushstrokes used in an expressive manner.

Borrowing imagery or forms to create something new.

Art in which the emphasis is on the idea or concept of the artwork rather than the finished, tangible art object. In some cases, the importance of the idea leads to the complete elimination of the object.

Current, of the present time.

Art made and produced by artists living today.

An artwork in which the artist transforms space, creating a new environment that is intended to directly involve the viewer.

Place close together or side-by-side, permitting comparison or contrast. Visual artists often suggest new meanings by juxtaposing images or ideas.

A material used by an artist.

An art movement associated with a group of New York City artists working in the 1960s. Minimalist art is characterized by simple or reduced abstract structures and geometric forms—free of all reference to the figure or to nature.

An artwork based on a live, theatrical performance by the artist.

An art movement that may use commonplace objects and blatantly flaunt name-brand products to comment on popular culture and/or address major social issues such as consumerism and class within today’s society.

A term used to describe an approach towards making art that was popularized in the 1970s. Postmodern artists rebelled against modernist art, including modernism’s rejection of landscape and history paintings, and its association with optimism and an artistic elite. Many of these artists blurred the categories between fine art, popular culture, and mass media, and their works build off of ideas and styles from pop art, conceptual art, and feminism. Postmodern art is often characterized by appropriation, pastiche, irony, and the use of non-traditional mediums such as fabric, furniture, and video.

Artwork created to exist in a specific location.