Art is a way to communicate ideas, feelings, instincts, and wishes. It accurately conveys inner thoughts that are incomprehensible in words alone. Contemporary art refers to modern art. It is the art being produced in the present day and age. Contemporary artwork frequently addresses issues and ideas rather than just being beautiful.
A culturally diverse, technologically advanced, and complex global world is the environment in which today’s artists work and respond.
Elements of Contemporary Artwork
There are a total of seven elements of contemporary artwork:
1. Line
A line is a moving point in space with a length larger than its breadth. Lines might be suggested or abstract, 2D, or 3D. Lines include broken, unbroken, straight, crooked, etc. Lines are the building blocks of a drawing.
2. Colour
The three factors that constitute colour are:
- The tint is the term given to colour.
- Intensity indicates how vivid colour is.
- Value expresses how light or dark a colour is.
A work of art may use colour figuratively to make patterns or to draw attention to contrast.
3. Value
Value describes how light or dark a colour is. Black is the darkest colour, while white is the lightest. In comparison, values are different from one another in terms of contrast. Values are especially foregrounded in monochromatic works of art.
4.Shape
Closed lines produce a shape that is flat and two-dimensional. Shapes might be geometric — like circles or rectangles — or organic — without clearly defined boundaries, curved and ethereal. In art, shapes can be employed to influence how the observer experiences a work.
5. Texture
Texture refers to how something seems or feels. Sometimes, the texture of a piece of art can be felt, as in sculpture, or it might be implied, as in a sketch of sheep’s wool. Soft, firm, rough, brittle, fluffy, and smooth are some adjectives that describe texture.
6. Space
Space is a zone a creator designs with a specific goal in mind. There are two kinds of space: positive and negative. The former is a region that some element occupies. The space that exists between, through, or inside objects is known as negative space. It encompasses the forefront, middle way, and background. Based on the way an artist uses the aforementioned elements, space can be controlled in their work.
7. Form
Shape transforms into form when it takes on depth and three dimensions. While two-dimensional works of art can provide the appearance of shape through perspective or colouring, three-dimensional works of art have forms (like in a building). Cones, pyramids, spheres, and cubes are a few examples of typical forms.
How to Identify a Contemporary Artwork
To classify a piece of art as contemporary, it should meet the following criteria:
- It was produced anytime between 1960 and now.
- The objective of the artist was to produce a resonating piece of art.
- The aesthetics are temporally constrained and interact with (recent) art history.
- The theme is still important in the modern world.
What Distinguishes Modern Art from Contemporary Artwork?
Current works of art are referred to as contemporary art. Typically, individuals still alive and producing art or those who have just recently passed away or retired create this art. Modern art can refer to the period from the 1880s to the 1970s, or it can be used in the literal sense of the word to refer to non-classical or unorthodox art.
In Conclusion
Diversity is a hallmark of contemporary art, including diversity in subject matter, form, medium, and even historical periods. It offers chances to consider society and the issues significant to you and the rest of the world. It is a component of a larger cultural conversation about contexts that includes identity, family, community, and nationality.
