What iscontemporaryArt?

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Introduction

Contemporary art is the term usedfor art of the present day. Usually theartists are alive and still making work.

Contemporary art is often aboutideas and concerns, rather thansolely the aesthetic (the look ofthe work).

Artists try different ways ofexperimenting with ideas andmaterials.

Contemporary artists use whateverthey think illustrates their idea mostappropriately. Nowadays artists havemany different methods and materialsto use. Some use painting anddrawing but there is also photography,sculpture, film, new media, liveperformance, light, sound andinstallation. Contemporary art istherefore very varied.

To understand contemporary art ithelps to ask questions.

These are questions that may helpyou explore what an artwork is about.

Does the worktell a story?

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Does the work tell a story?Is there a narrative or storyto the work?

Does the work communicatean idea or feeling?If so, is this important?

Are there any links to history that you can make?

Does it make you think of anything else?

Are there anyissues in thework?

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Are there any issuesin the work?

Is there an underlyingtheme to the work?

Does the work make you think of anythingimportant?

Are there any links that you can make to history,politics or everyday life?

Does the work make youwant to investigatesomething? If so, whatand why?

Are there anyimages, objects,materials orsymbols that areimportant in thework?

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Are there any images,objects, materials orsymbols that are importantin the work?

Are there any clues hiddenin the work? (Sometimesartists include objects orimages that representsomething else).

Does the artist want you tointerpret what is in the work?

Is there anything in the workthat refers to other cultures?

Does thework havea title?

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Does the work havea title?

Does the title suggestanything?

Does the title explainanything about the work?

If there is no title whymight this be?

Is colourimportantin the work?

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Is colour importantin the work?

What colours havebeen used?

Does the colour create anyeffect or emotion? If so, canyou describe it?

If different colours had beenused would this matter?Would it create a newmeaning?

Does the workinteract with thespace it is in?

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Does the work interactwith the space it is in?

Is the presentation ofthe work important?

Does the environment havean impact on the work?

Could this work beput anywhere else?

Do you have to experiencethe work from a particularplace or angle? Try lookingat the work from differentplaces.

Does it requirea set time tolook at thework?

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Does it require a settime to look at the work?

How long do you think youneed to spend with the workto see it properly?

Can you see more if youspend longer looking atsomething?

If the work is a film, do youhave to watch all of it?

Do you have to watchit from the beginning?

Does it change over time?

How has thework beenmade?

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How has the workbeen made?

Describe the techniquesthe artist has used?

Do the materials used haveany meaning or associations?

What does this tell youabout the work?

What senses do thematerials affect? (ie. Is itvisual? Do they smell? Canyou touch them? Can youhear anything?)