By Chelsea Reed
Whether you’re an art history buff or a casual art observer, you probably heard of the term “contemporary” at least once in your life. It’s a word that often invokes a sense of the modern life we live in and the future moving forward. But since the Contemporary Era technically started more than 70 years ago after World War II, figuring out what contemporary art actually means can be quite a conundrum.
Suffering from contemporary confusion? Don’t worry, we get it. This handy mini-guide can help demystify what art qualifies in this unique genre to help build your collection. Here’s how you can identify what contemporary art is, learn how the term came about in the art world, and discover cool facts about contemporary art that will boost your confidence.
Fortunately, you only have to remember one thing when it comes to contemporary art. If the piece was made with innovative items or methods, or by a living artist with a subject that reflects the current time period, then it counts as contemporary art. For example, a painting of John’s Drive-In restaurant in Nags Head with customers would qualify as a contemporary piece. It features the famous tiny Outer Banks restaurant in today’s current era. In contrast, this historic engraving of cattle in a Kansas corral is not contemporary art. It depicts a scene of the old days of the Wild West over two hundred years ago.
Did you know that if an artist creates a piece using a new method or item not thought of before, that’s called contemporary art? Take for example this striking mixed media art of monarch butterflies. It’s made with dozens of paper butterflies that have each been painstakingly hand painted by the artist. As a result, the butterflies look so believable, they appear to jump out of the frame and fly away! It’s a creative out-of-the-box way to depict and think about the sense of freedom for butterflies.
Speaking of innovation, contemporary art can also apply to a more traditional theme or subject that is presented in a perspective that no one has conceived before. This provocative painting of four wolves in a moonlit forest is a creative callback to the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Wolves as horsemen? Well, why not? It’s clear that this artist was compelled to explore this unusual notion and then try to express what the wolves would be like through that particular lens.
As you can see, contemporary art is an excellent way to try a new taste and consider concepts that open the mind to new possibilities. Check out more contemporary art now at Seaside Art Gallery’s online exhibition “Mastering Art in New Ways.” Who knows, you might even find a new favorite!
Chelsea Reed is a copywriter who writes winning content, articles, blogs, and websites from her base in North Carolina. She might not be building sandcastles or swashbuckling with pirates these days, but the Outer Banks beaches continue to keep her young at heart.
