wat is modern art all about?

Answer 1

For hundred of years, and probably thousands in some cultures, humans have tried to find ways to capture images in pictures. All sorts of techniques were developed and countless people devoted their lives to this pursuit,

Then some jerk invented the camera.

So, the artworld went 'umm... now what?'

With realism no longer the pursuit of art, what is art? 'What is art?' is often considered the fundamental question of the Modern Art movement. Modern art came to be about making creative images and sculptures no longer grounded in realism. It is also about making the viewer of the art thik about the peice.

Answer 2

"Modern Art" is a consequence of the invention of the camera. Once a tool had been invented that could do in 2 seconds what it took an accomplished portriat or landscape artist a week to do, "realism" became rather a foolish thing to pursue, don't you think?

It began (more or less) with Impressionism (which was considered OUTRAGEOUS at the time, but I'll bet you like it), where the artists used blurry colors and loose strokes to make an image that looked like something but up close looked like nothing. Then Expressionism promoted the idea that an image did not have to "look" at all like an image if if conveyed an emotion effectively.

You should study a little Art History, you'll discover a whole world you apparently don't know is there. Without Art History, your clothes would all be box-shaped and gray, as would your car and your house...

Answer 3

First, I would have to wonder what you mean by 'modern'.

I find it odd that much of what people refer to as modern art is about a century old.

If you mean contemporary art, I would suggest that commerciality and mass media have pretty much made a trainwreck of art. It's all about shock, rarely about the attainment of artistic skill and the building upon the aesthetic that traditionally were the compelling ideals of art.

But if by modern you mean work of the modernist period: Picasso, Braque, Dali... well to me this period, which does seem to puzzle many with its abstraction and uglification of that previously thought beautiful, that period was about the rejection of a stilted classic tradition.

Its modernism was, like that of atonal music, the idea that pure form, without the baggage of imagism or metaphorical meaning, could sustain our senses and tickle our curiosity. Many people enjoy the work of this period, but I would suggest, like atonal music, it eluded the masses.

However abstraction in all the arts has gained the credibility that comes with familiarity.

People may not realize it, but atonal music has snuck into popular music, and abstract art is as commonplace as the little fly in animations between tv shows.

People's tastes and ideas evolve much more slowly than that of artists. Even with the existence of mass media, the mob has a stubborn streak.

Answer 4

Modern art reflects society. Andy Warhol painted soup cans and Marilyn Monroe because he was making a statement about consumerism and images. So what is going on in our society is what modern art is about. For example, fear and terrorism describes the 21st Century, so I'm sure painters are busy painting fear and terrorism on the canvas.

Answer 5

Maybe the artists don't know either. Are you talking about modern "abstract art" or what?

Answer 6

i dont know mate but looking at a piece of steaming dog poo is like modern art looks revolting and no use at all.

Answer 7

most of it is a load of balls to be honest...we had a school trip to the tate modern in london last week...one picture was just a line of grey and a line of red...i mean...seriously??what?! i think my nan could have done better. and my nan's dead!!

Answer 8

Until I read RedHawk's answer, I believed a succinct and pithy answer was not possible.

I stand corrected~

Answer 9

It's like pop tunes rather than classical suites.

Answer 10

The same thing it has always been EXPRESSION!