Modern and contemporary
Contemporary art
c. 1970–today
A global, plural field with no single dominant style, working across every medium.
Overview
Since the 1970s it has been hard to speak of art movements in the old sense. Artists move freely between painting, sculpture, photography, video, performance, installation and digital media, and often choose the medium to suit the idea.
Recurring concerns include identity, memory, politics, the body, the environment and the effects of technology and globalization. The art world itself has widened: major artists, exhibitions and museums are now found on every inhabited continent.
What defines it
- No dominant style or medium
- Installation, video, performance and digital work alongside painting and sculpture
- Engagement with social, political and environmental questions
Works to know
- The Dinner Party
- Untitled Film Stills
- The Weather Project
- Sunflower Seeds