You may hear some people use the terms “contemporary” and “modern” interchangeably. In some cases, this use of words is perfectly acceptable. In art, however, contemporary and modern works mean two different things. If you’ve ever been confused about differentiation, this is a good way to look at the two concepts of painting:
contemporary paintings
Contemporary art is used to describe works made recently. Some art historians will define contemporary paintings as works dating back to World War II, while others believe it includes works created or accepted within the last ten years. Artists may still be producing artwork today, using the latest painting trends and techniques. In general, classification is a general term for current art. In the future, people may look back at paintings produced today and give them a new name, but contemporary art serves as a placeholder for anything recently produced.
Artists defined in this category are known for exploring with a variety of media, including on canvas. They can choose interesting color palettes, themes, and stray from convention with their techniques. Some may even include other media like scraps of paper, handmade dyes, or masking tape. Contemporary art has also seen a rise in politically charged subject matter. Artists make social statements on global issues such as racism, religion, human trafficking, feminism, and the environment through their works.
modern paintings
Although a modern art museum includes truly modern art, it often features contemporary exhibits as well, making the differentiation between the two very confusing. Modern paintings are defined in the art world as paintings produced between 1890 and 1965. Artists include Picasso, Renoir, Kandinsky, and Matisse.
The era of modern art overlapped with impressionism, when artists began to set aside traditions in favor of radical experimentation in their representations. History books often define the era of modern art as beginning when the last Impressionist artists stopped producing. The artists of this period redefined the art world and paved the way for contemporary artists producing work today. Many modern painters were heavily involved in abstract and expressive pieces that may or may not portray a resemblance to the subject matter of the piece.
Points in common between modern and contemporary art
Art enthusiasts may look down on those who use the terms modern and contemporary art interchangeably, but you’ll always hear some people do. Since the era of modern art, each painting classification has been quite broad in scope. They all use real life, social issues, and emotionally charged subject matter to create a statement in their art. They also rely heavily on their mind’s eye for inspiration for completely original and inspired pieces. Finally, they all include artists interested in experimenting with exciting new media and techniques.
Many eras of art overlap, making them seem confusing, but the movements in art history have been fluid. They get confused with each other instead of having definite beginnings and endings. In all probability, the label of contemporary art may change once more, giving rise to a new movement in painting.
