Difference Between Modern Art and Contemporary Art

Introduction

It's easy to get modern and contemporary art mixed up while studying about art movements and styles. When describing anything on-trend or fresh, the terms 'contemporary' and modern' are frequently interchanged.

Because the term "modern" is often used to describe the current or recent past rather than the distant past, it's safe to assume that contemporary art was created lately. That is not the situation in reality. Many prominent examples of modern art are approximately 200 years old. Modern art refers to art created during a certain period in the past.

We're talking about contemporary art when we say it's art that's current. 'Contemporary' is the acceptable phrase to use when describing art made in the present day by live artists. This article will explain the fundamental stylistic and thematic distinctions between modern and contemporary art, as well as how to distinguish between the two.

Modern Art vs Contemporary Art

The fundamental distinction between modern and contemporary art is that modern art was created between 1860 and 1970. As a result, modern art preceded contemporary art. Contemporary art, on the other hand, is art created in the present.

The phrase "modern art" refers to artwork created between the years 1860 and 1970. It refers to the artist's thoughts and style within that time period. This word is frequently linked with art in which the previous period's style or tradition has been abandoned in favor of a spirit of experimentation. Symbolism, cubism, futurism, and Op art are all part of the modern movement. The word "contemporary art" refers to art created in the present day. The artists of contemporary art are mostly still alive and working. It is a type of art in which the concern and concept are more important than the appearance of the piece. Artists in modern art seek for new ways to experiment with their ideas and materials.

Difference Between Modern Art and Contemporary Art in Tabular Form

Parameter of Comparison	Modern art	Contemporary art
Definition	The word "modern art" refers to an artist's work created between 1860 and 1970.	Contemporary art is art that is utilised in today's society. It is frequently more concerned with the concept than with the appearance of the piece.
Period	Modern art mostly began in the nineteenth century and lasted until the 1960s or 1970s.	From 1960 or 1970 until the present, contemporary art has existed.
Styles	The art style of the mid-twentieth century is referred to as modern art.	Contemporary art is a term used to describe an art style that is currently trendy.
Created	People like Van Gogh deserve credit for innovative art.	A person who is still alive creates contemporary art.
Impact	Rather than focusing on reality, modern art highlights the theme.	Contemporary art has a societal influence in the form of political, social, and cultural change.

What is Modern Art?

People are often referred to as moderns while describing art from the current day, although contemporary art is the term used to describe art from the present moment. The term "modern art" refers to a time period that began in 1880 and ended in 1970. Manet and Van Gogh, for example, are credited with redefining art. Instead of realism, which was popular before 1880, modern art stresses a subjective portrayal of the topic.

This painting has a distinct style that represents both the inner and outside worlds. It focuses primarily on a subject rather than portraying life as a view from within a church or how it affects society. In this work, the past's traditions have been tossed aside in favor of a spirit of exploration. Artists have discovered a new way of seeing, as well as a new perspective on the role of art and the nature of the medium. From 1860 to 1970, modern art was created, which refers to the ideologies and art of that time period.

The Characteristics of Modern Art

Modern art is distinguished by the fact that it does not have to resemble anything in particular. Danielle O'Connor Akiyama, a modern artist, wants her work to be relatable to everyone, not just a select few. They think that everyone should experience beauty differently, which makes it difficult for them to develop anything that resembles something else or something well-known. Artists may be inspired by nature or commonplace objects, but they are not limited by them. They express themselves via their media rather than attempting to depict reality precisely as it is, leaving a wide range of interpretation options. As a result, abstract forms are frequently employed.

Modern art sometimes employs unnaturally bright hues or focuses on a single color in a picture. It defies typical artistic conventions such as symmetry and well-defined lines. While cubism is considered modern art, it also adheres to some traditional elements, which is sometimes referred to as classical modernism.

Each part will begin with a review of the artist's life and career, followed by an examination of their most renowned artwork, useful insight into what makes these works so valuable, and a brief analysis of how they influenced modern art.

Pablo Picasso was born into a family of painters in Spain in 1881. Picasso was taught fine art by his father, a professor of drawing and painting, since he was a child. Picasso's mother died when he was 13 years old, leaving him to be raised by his sister and grandmother. Picasso chose to study at the School of Arts and Crafts after a brief term at the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid, where he learned traditional methods.

Pablo Picasso is well known for co-founding Cubism with Georges Braque in 1907, which spawned a whole new art style. Cubism signaled a significant shift away from traditional three-dimensional representation and toward abstract geometric shapes that might be utilized to explore space and time. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907), Guernica (1937), a painting representing the Spanish Civil War under Franco, and his contribution to surrealism with works like Mae West Lips Sofa are among Picasso's most recognised works.

Picasso was a painter, sculptor, printer, ceramicist, stage designer, and poet in addition to being an artist. He created nearly 20,000 recognised pieces of art, which were shown in hundreds of exhibitions across the world. At the age of 91, he died on April 8th, 1973, leaving a lasting legacy for contemporary art.

Objectivity has been ingrained in not only science and mathematics, but also in our daily lives, thanks to modernity. Modern art pieces like this complement objectivity wonderfully by being highly subjective. Our brains, however, have so hopelessly degraded into pseudo-objectivity as a result of everyday influence that we frequently forget that objectivity is, after all, a point of view. In these instances, modern art comes to our aid. However, before we can comprehend it, we must first learn to be non-objective at times. We must learn how to comprehend modern art without attempting to comprehend it.

What is Contemporary Art?

This work of art was made by a live artist. The political, social, and cultural transformation of the late 1990s had a significant impact on contemporary art throughout the world. Contemporary art, unlike modern art, does not appear to have a set form. Global warming, human rights, environmental degradation, and globalization are all important topics that are well-represented in modern art.

This art, unlike modern art, has a significant societal influence. These modern painters value independence and freedom, and they experiment with a variety of genres. Contemporary artists are seen to be liberal in terms of the purity they express in their art and their attitude since they tend to discover the pure notion of art. One of the most distinguishing aspects of modern art is that it appears to be revealing and addressing a future issue. One of the most significant distinctions between modern and contemporary art is this.

Postmodernist art is another term for contemporary art. It was the first time in the history of art that there were no limitations, allowing artists to break the mould and create anything they desired. Experimentation was the key to contemporary art, allowing artists from all over the world to focus on the examination of societal themes via various creative forms, such as Takashi Murakami, Jeff Koons, and David Hockey. Whether it was performance art, pop art, minimalism, or making ludicrous sculptures, the contemporary art movement prioritized creativity.

Freedom of speech was a prominent theme in contemporary art, and it carried over into literature as well. Contemporary literature, like contemporary art, was based on the examination of reality as it was. Poetry, flash fiction, short tales, slam poetry, dramas, memoirs, and autobiographies were among the genres represented in contemporary literature. All of these stories were inspired by real-life events and featured well-defined, realistic characters with imperfections to further humanize them. Literature in the modern age was more character-driven than plot-driven, expressing comments on the destruction wrought by World War II.

Cinema had a significant role in the modern art movement, which saw films as a vital aesthetic medium. Cinema was a vehicle for the preservation of memory and cultural identity in modern art. Amateur videography, home videos, and ancient black-and-white films were used by artists to elicit emotion in their works. The same manner was carried over into current films, allowing the viewer to reflect on society. Many filmmakers began adapting contemporary literature into films, and modern films were generally based on historical events with universal themes that appealed to the emotions of the audience.

Contemporary music, like contemporary film, aimed to raise and accentuate specific feelings in the listener. Avant-garde artists were those who played or wrote current music, defying all the boundaries of conventional music, fusing genres, and playing instruments incorrectly. Contemporary music began in 1945 and investigated sound minimalism using methods such as discord and unusual sounds. Pop, Jazz, Funk, and Rock are some of the most popular genres in current music, and they all experimented with new techniques to generate music that people could relate to.

Post-Modernist art is another term for contemporary art. It was the first time in the history of art that there were no limitations, allowing artists to break the mould and create anything they desired. Experimentation was the key to contemporary art, allowing artists from all over the world to focus on the examination of societal themes via various creative forms, such as Takashi Murakami, Jeff Koons, and David Hockey. Whether it was performance art, pop art, minimalism, or making ludicrous sculptures, the contemporary art movement prioritized creativity.

Main Differences Between Modern Art and Contemporary Art in Points

1. Modern art mostly began in the nineteenth century and lasted until the 1960s or 1970s. Contemporary art, on the other hand, dates from 1960 or 1970 to the current day.
2. The word "modern art" refers to an artist's work created between 1860 and 1970. Contemporary art, on the other hand, is art that is now in use. This artist is typically more concerned with the concept than with the appearance of the piece.
3. Rather than focusing on reality, modern art highlights the theme. Contemporary art, on the other hand, has a societal influence, such as political, social, and cultural reformation.
4. The art style of the mid-twentieth century is referred to as modern art. Contemporary art, on the other hand, refers to a particular art style that is now fashionable.
5. Revolutionary art is ascribed to artists like Van Gogh and Manet. Contemporary art, on the other hand, is made by someone who is still alive.
6. Modernity is seen to be self-expensive. Contemporary art, on the other hand, concentrates primarily on social themes, therefore it has a social influence.
7. The artist usually creates modern art on a canvas. Contemporary art, on the other hand, can be created in any media, including technology-enabled artwork, graphical arts, product design, and video art.

Conclusion

The distinction between modern and contemporary art is often a source of misunderstanding. The preceding distinctions will aid in understanding and classifying the art. As previously stated, the major distinction between modern art and contemporary art is that modern art relates to the period from 1860 to 1970, while contemporary art refers to work created in the present day.