Question

What makes modern art modern?

Answer 1

Modern art reflects the cultural, industrial, and societal changes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, emphasizing contemporary issues over historical ones, and innovation over tradition. The spirit of experimentation and rejection of academic conventions were central to the movement.

Step-by-step explanation:

Modern art is characterized by its engagement with the contemporary urban, industrial, and secular society that emerged during the 19th century. Instead of relying on historical and allegorical themes, the Modern Art movement focused on the representation of contemporary issues and the spirit of the modern era.

At the turn of the 20th century, as the world underwent rapid changes due to industrialization and globalization, a shift occurred in artistic practices. Innovations such as the steam train and electric train changed perspectives on travel and exposure to new cultures. Consequently, artists were inspired to experiment and innovate, which was reflected in the prolific art movements that spread quickly around the globe.

Modernism embraced a spirit of progress and a break from traditional academic constraints. Artists sought to participate in the modern world by exploring new techniques, expressing skepticism towards established authority, and conveying messages in art that were more interpretational than instructional. Modernism also reflected societal reactions against the complacency and rigid societal structures of the time.

Answer 2

Modern artists have strived to express their views of the world around them using visual mediums. While some have connected their work to preceding movements or ideas, the general goal of each artist in the modern era was to advance their practice to a position of pure originality.

Modern art is that which was created sometime between the 1860s (some say the 1880s) and the late 1960s (some say only through the 1950s). Art made thereafter (e.g., conceptual, minimalist, postmodern, feminist) is considered contemporary.