Understanding Contemporary Art

Contemporary Art

• It's the newest art form, emerging from present-day events and societal passions, dating back to the mid-to-late 20th century.
• Artists use it as a medium to express life, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and other aspects of the human experience.

Characteristics of Contemporary Art

• Contemporary art is not limited to museums and can be found in galleries, art schools, side streets, public spaces such as train/bus stations, shopping centers, and parks.
• Nicolas Aca's “Boto: Goto” is a performance art piece in a church.
• Selling art has evolved; artworks are sold "online" due to increased internet and social media use, allowing for greater access regardless of location.
• Many contemporary artists are self-taught, focusing on skill development through independent study, artist interaction, and research.
• Artists explore hardware store materials, experiment with chemical reactions, and study welding and engineering.
• Artists have a wide variety of materials to select and are free to combine art materials with found objects.
• Contemporary artists often collaborate with fabricators, carpenters, electricians, or welders when "constructing" artworks, especially conceptual artists using physics and construction technology.
• Redesigning existing works with different materials is accepted; originality is not a primary concern.
• Juan Luna's Spolarium was reinterpreted as Malliarium by Steve Santos, Ross Capili, Jose Tence Ruiz, Archie Degamo, George Cabig, Heber Bartolome, Nelson Viterbo, and Art Suarez.
• The focus is on the artistic process and conveying a message rather than financial gain.

Subject Matter and Style in Contemporary Art

• Any person, animal, thing, or issue depicted or represented in a work is the subject, prompting contemplation.
• The subject matter extends beyond human figures and landscapes to include children, women, the environment, or combinations thereof.
• The subject matter can be the technique itself when an artwork tests a technique and engages the viewer in thinking and exploring the meaning.

Styles of Contemporary Art

• Abstract expressionism involves applying paint to express emotions and feelings spontaneously.
• Jose Joya's "Dimension of Fear" exemplifies abstract expressionism.
• Kinetic art consists of sculptures that move via wind, machines, or electricity.
• David Medalla's "Bubble Machine" creates movement.
• Op art employs repeated lines or images to create optical illusions.
• Constancio Bernardo's "Perpetual Motion" is an example.
• Performance art uses various media and the human body to deliver artistic theatrical expressions live.
• Environment art uses artistic creation and the manipulation of space, like landscape or architectural design.
• Roberto Villanueva's "Cordillera Labyrinth" (1989) is environment art.
• Feminist art explores identity, sexuality, gender roles, equality, and society's treatment of women.
• Pacita Abad's “Filipina: A Racial Identity Crisis” (1991) is feminist art.
• Minimalism is stripped-down, pre-fabricated, lacking detail, with a flat surface, and expresses content or statement.
• Mario Yrisarry's “Precints” (1965) demonstrates minimalism.
• Video art consists of images recorded and viewed through a television, computer, or projection screen.
• Mark Salvatus’ “Haiku” (2012) is video art.
• Graffiti art involves drawings, inscriptions, or sketches made quickly on public surfaces.
• Postmodern art combines modern styles with extreme practices, expressing ideas using mixed materials, such as found objects, welded together.
• Ian Quirante's "Faith and Devotion 1" is an example of postmodern art.
• Body art uses the body as the medium or main material; tattooing and piercing are examples.
• Apo Whang-od doing "pambabatok" (traditional tattooing) is body art.
• Digital art is created using computers and consists of bits and bytes, and can be printed on various media.

Techniques in Contemporary Arts

• Collage involves sticking materials like photographs, paper, or fabric onto a backing.
• Decalcomania transfers pictures/designs from prepared paper (e.g., glass).
• Decoupage decorates surfaces using cutouts coated with finish (lacquer or varnish).
• Frottage creates designs by rubbing over an object underneath the paper.
• Montage produces a rapid succession of images in a motion picture to illustrate ideas.
• Trapunto creates a quilted design in high relief through layered cloth outlined with running stitch and padding.
• Digital applications are software used on computers, mobile devices, or tablets to create and display art.