Modern Art / Post-Modern Art / Art of this Time:

The Modern Art Movement

The Modern Art Movement had its roots in the Age of Enlightenment and Frank Stella wrote a book in 1986 called "Working Space" citing Caravaggio as the first Modernist painter, but it is generally thought that this movement in the arts officially began with the changes brought on by the Industrial Revolution in mid-century 19^th century and when the Academic Ideal of the beautiful was challenged. Edward Manet’s “ Dejeuner sur L’herbe” posted below, was seen as scandalous and thought by some to be the beginning of “Impressionism” and Modern Art. This painting also has elements of a Post Modernist work as it references older paintings, in particular, The Pastoral Concert, by Titian (1510) that hangs in the Louvre.

The Modern Art Movement championed work that was innovative. It is generally thought that it came to an end as the definitive movement of our time in the late 1960’s. The main principles of this movement were: the independence and genius of the artist (the auteur), self-consciousness of the medium, and a celebration of the subjective internal, universal truths and the spiritual rather than the objective subject.

The main critics and art historians associated with this movement among others are: Roger Fry, Clive Bell, Walter Benjamin, T.J. Clark, Arthur Danto and most importantly, Clement Greenberg.

Well known artists of the Modern Arts Movement include: Claude Monet, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Roy Lichtenstein, Jackson pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, Jacob Lawrence, Francis Bacon, Louise Bourgeois among many others. Five examples of Modern Art are below.

"Le Dejeuner sur L'herbe" Edward Manet 1863

Jacob Lawrence 1950's


Frank Stella "Jill" 1959-60

David Smith

Primo-Piano 1962

De Kooning "Untitled" 1949

The Post-Modern Art Movement

The Post-Modern Art Movement began to emerge in the late 1960’s as a reaction to the elitism and institutionalization of Modern Art and primarily to the writings and philosophies about “high” and “low” art of critic Clement Greenberg. Post Modernism is also a reaction to late 20th century capitalism, the consumer society, the technological revolution and globalization. Feminism and Multiculturalism also play a part in the change and confusion in the role of the artist in society.

The prominent critics and art historians associated with this movement are: Michel Foucault, Frederic Jameson, Rosalind Krauss, and Donald Kuspit.

Some of this movements important visual artists are: Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiet, David Lynch, Cindy Sherman, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami among others.

Art of this Time

The name I would give the art of this time_2010 would be: “Limbo of the Pastiche." A new, solid direction in the arts is still in its infancy and forming; the main element of this time in the arts seems to be, according to Eleanor Heartney, an “anarchic pluralism.” Critics and art historians associated with this movement aside from Ms. Heartney are: Nicolas Bourriaud, Dave Itzkoff among others.

Some of its prominent artists are: Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Richard Prince, Zhang Xiaogang, Zeng Fanzhi, Yue Minjun, Takashi Murakami Dana Schutz and Tracey Emin.

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