Before learning about contemporary artists in particular, you must be aware of what Contemporary art is all about. Read below to learn about it all, post which you can look at the art for sale on various online galleries such as Indian Art Ideas.

What is the definition of contemporary art? What do you think of when you hear the term “modern artist”?

The broadest, most basic meaning is: art created in the present or somewhat recent past. However, the phrase “current art” encompasses a broader definition. Before diving in, it’s important to understand the distinction between contemporary art and its predecessor, modern art. The fact that “current” and “modern” are synonyms in colloquial English isn’t helping matters. In reality, the terms modern art/artists and contemporary art/artists are frequently confused and conflated as a result of this. These two phrases allude to two distinct periods of invention in the art world, as well as two very different scopes and approaches to art production.

The phrase “modern art” refers to artwork created between the 1860s and the 1970s. During this time, art began to defy laws and traditions while also embracing experimentation with various mediums. Moving away from figurative art and toward abstraction, modern artists established a new method of intending art.

There is no definitive date for the beginning of contemporary art. Many people associate the development of Postmodernism in the 1970s with the cut-off period signifying the end of Modern Art and hence the beginning of contemporary art. Contemporary art is heterogeneous and diversified, eschewing a unified organising principle or classification. Contemporary artists frequently use a variety of materials and processes, as well as a diversity of themes and subject matters, to push the boundaries of what constitutes art.

You Should Know These 9 Influential Contemporary Artists

1. Anselm Kiefer (born 1945 in Donaueschingen, Germany) is a German photographer.

Anselm Kiefer is a German sculptor and painter who uses uncommon materials such as ash, shellac, lead, straw, and glitter to create massive works. These paintings frequently refer to communal memory and contentious historical events, such as Nazi rule, literary works, mythology, and historical personalities the artist admires. Kiefer’s work seeks to tackle the terrible past of his civilization.

2. JR (born in Paris, France, in 1983) is a street artist and photographer from France who is most known for his big black-and-white images that he hangs in public areas. His painting is inspired by his advocacy. While he concentrates on local and tangible difficulties in his work, he always has a larger global image in mind, a strong (and utopian) confidence in humanity’s good. Face 2 Face, in which he pasted photos of Palestinians next to Israelis on the West Bank barrier to combat prejudice, and Inside Out, which inspired people all around the world to use photographic portraits to communicate untold stories of their communities, are two of JR’s most notable projects.

3. Hito Steyerl (born in Munich, Germany in 1966 ), is a filmmaker, moving image artist, and pioneer of the essay documentary. She is fascinated by technology, worldwide image circulation, and, in particular, the impact of these pictures on our society. She is most recognised for her video works, which frequently push the boundaries of cinema and are rich in conceptual content. Steyerl’s work was featured in major biennials such as those in Venice, Istanbul, and Shanghai. Her films are complex, blending fantasy and reality, computer-generated imagery with factual material. They delve into today’s thorny themes, such as militarization, surveillance, corporate dominance, and alienated workers, as well as protest culture and the emergence of alternative economies.

4. Crosby, Njideka Akunyili (born in Enugu, Nigeria, in 1983) uses political, art historical, and personal elements to produce striking large-scale figurative paintings. In what appears to be a peaceful and introspective manner, she paints ordinary situations and social gatherings. Her paintings are heavily packed with postcolonial insights and the urgency of global migration challenges.

7. Mark Bradford (born in Los Angeles in 1961) is a modern artist who focuses on abstraction. He is recognised for his large-scale, grid-like paintings that combine paint and collage, integrating elements from his daily life such as discovered posters or business cards. Bradford’s work examines social and political themes such as power’s marginalization of communities and vulnerable populations. “Social abstraction” is how he explains his styles. In this complex moment of societal indetermination, his most recent series, “Quarantine Paintings,” reflects on creativity in isolation and the meaning of art.

8. Wolfgang Tillmans (born 1968 in Remscheid, Germany) is a German photographer.

Wolfgang Tillmans is a German photographer who works with photo-reportage, portraiture, and large-scale abstraction. He is a unique and attentive observer of our environment. Tillmans’ work consistently pushes the medium’s boundaries, resulting in a captivating and diverse body of work. He was the first non-British recipient of the renowned Turner Prize in 2006. “I want the photos to be operating in both directions,” Tillmans said, “I accept that they speak about me, but at the same time, I want and expect them to function in terms of the spectator and their experience.”

9. Olafur Eliasson was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1967.

Olafur Eliasson, a Danish-Icelandic modern artist, is known for his large-scale, site-specific art installations that combine water, light, and air temperature to create an immersive viewing experience. Our relationship with nature, especially in light of the current climate crisis, and human perception are significant themes in his body of work. The Weather Project (2003), a big artificial sun erected inside the Tate Modern in London, and Ice Watch (2019), massive ice blocks allowed to melt in major cities in order to raise awareness about the global catastrophe, are two of his most well-known works.

Wrap up:

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