Actual forms of contemporary art. The craziest types of contemporary art

At all times, art has been a mirror of society. With the development of society, art has also undergone changes. At all times there were many types of art. Our ancestors could not even imagine what forms art would take today. With the development of modern art, many types and directions have appeared. Here is the Top 10 most bizarre and unusual forms of contemporary art.

Everyone knows what graffiti is. This art of the modern city involves the appearance of various images on clean walls using a spray can of paint. But reverse graffiti requires dirty walls and detergents. Pictures on the plane appear due to the removal of dirt. The authors of such paintings often use washing machines or installations to remove dirt and create beautiful images. And sometimes, just by drawing with one finger, the artist creates an amazing drawing. And now passers-by are surrounded not by dirty walls, from city dust and exhaust gases, but by amazing drawings by talented artists.

9. Sand sculpture

Sculpture is a type of fine art that retains an image for many years. But sand sculptures are not the most reliable way to save an image for centuries, but, nevertheless, this activity is becoming more and more popular. Many talented sculptors create unrealistically beautiful and complex works of art from sand. But, alas, the life of these sculptures is short-lived. And in order to prolong the life of their masterpieces, the masters began to use special fixing compounds.

8. Drawings of biological fluids

It seems strange, but some artists create their paintings using bodily fluids. And although many do not like this strange art, it has adherents, and this fact is a bit surprising, because there were even lawsuits and condemnation of the audience. Artists most often use blood and urine for their paintings, because of this, their canvases often carry a gloomy, oppressive atmosphere. The authors of the paintings prefer to use liquids only from their organisms.

7. Pictures painted by different parts of the body

It turns out that not all artists use brushes to paint a picture. Recently, drawing with body parts is gaining more and more popularity. What only parts of the body do not use these creative people. For more than a decade, Australian Tim Patch has been painting with his own penis. In the process of working on the paintings, Tim decided not to limit himself to one “brush” and began to use the buttocks and scrotum as well. There are artists who use their chest, tongue and buttocks instead of a brush. The popularity of masterpieces created in this way is constantly growing.

6. Drawing on dirty cars

Often dirty cars on the streets of the city cause an unpleasant feeling. And, indeed, one wants to write: “Wash me!”. But creative people, even such a unique material as road dirt and dust can give a beautiful, aesthetic look. Only an artist can create "mud graffiti". An American graphic designer has become wildly popular by painting on dirty car windows. Scott Wade's amazing paintings, created with the help of dust and dirt from Texas roads, lifted their author to the peak of creativity. And if Wade started drawing cartoons on thick layers of dirt with sticks, fingers and nails, now he puts on real shows that are a huge success. Dirty car painting is a relatively new art form that few artists are interested in.

5. Mani-art

It is unlikely that anyone will remain indifferent to this trend in art. The art of creating crafts and applications from banknotes is called mani art. Most often, for crafts, they use the currency that has soared in price very sharply - dollars and euros. And although crafts made from such a “material” do not have a rich color scheme, the look of such products is breathtaking. The attitude towards the new type of art is ambiguous - someone will admire the talent, and someone will be outraged that the author is "mad with fat." Nevertheless, this is not at all a simple fun, because making a man, animal or fish out of a bill is not as easy as it might seem. Or maybe someone decided to keep their savings this way? I ran out of money - I took a cute little dog from the shelf and go shopping!

4. Book carving

Woodcarving is a long-known type of arts and crafts, but with the development of modern art, more and more new ones appear. Carving or carving on books is a new and original direction in art that requires accuracy, patience and work. The process of creating a real masterpiece is very complex and painstaking, in their work the artists use tweezers, scalpels, knives, tweezers, glue and glass. Someone may say that it is blasphemous to use books in this way, but most often for their work, artists take old reference books or outdated encyclopedias, that is, books to be destroyed. Sometimes, to realize their boundless imagination, artists use several books at once. The landscapes created by Guy Laramie look so realistic that it is impossible to believe they are made from old unnecessary books. And we are grateful for such a beautiful and extraordinary art to Brion Dettmeter, who invented this type of carving.

3. Anamorphosis

This is a drawing or design, but they are created in such a way that you can see and understand the image only from a certain place or at a certain angle. Sometimes the original image can only be seen with a mirror image. Artists intentionally distort or disfigure the image, but under certain conditions it becomes correct. This is what makes this type of art interesting, when three-dimensional paintings and inscriptions appear from a meaningless image.

This type of art has been known for several centuries. In European art, Leonardo da Vinci is considered the founder of anamorphism, although there is a version that this art form appeared in China. For several centuries, the anamorphosis technique did not stand still, and three-dimensional images from paper gradually migrated to the street, where they delight and surprise passers-by. Another newfangled trend is anamorphic printing - applying distorted texts that can be read only from a certain point.

2. Body art illusion

This is a form of avant-garde art, where the object of creativity is the human body. Even in ancient times, people tried to decorate themselves with the help of drawings on the body. Modern representatives of this trend in art have gone much further. In their works, they use illusions that can deceive anyone. Now, in their masterpieces, artists create such amazing drawings, looking at which, you understand that human imagination is limitless. There are a lot of options for illusions on the body: from predators to gaping wounds on the head or several eyes on the face. Famous Japanese body painter Hikaru Cho has brought her passion to perfection. She creates drawings on the skin in which the line between reality and pictures is lost.

1. Shadows in art

Thanks to the shadow, painting arose - the ancient Greeks believed so. People have used light and shadow in art since time immemorial. Modern artists have reached a whole new level in the play of light and shadow. Although few can create masterpieces without a brush and paint, using only their patience and ability to see. After all, it is not at all easy to create a real masterpiece from a pile of "garbage", household items, glass fragments or pieces of wire. Using only light, the master can show us the grace of the female body, the ship, two lovers and other images. Azerbaijani shadow artist Rashad Alakbarov creates colorful images on an empty wall using multicolored glass.

We presented only a part of the types of contemporary art most popular in our time. It is very difficult to imagine what else will appear new in art, because the imagination of creative people does not stand still. The main thing is that this new must appear and art does not stand still. Look for your talents and surprise the world with them!

As you know, creative people are a little out of this world ... The paintings of some famous people are either shocking in their entanglement either hit at the price for the usual black square. But artists who create in the styles of our list are more likely to introduce you at a loss.

Body parts drawing

Incredibly, some artists use parts your body instead of a brush. From the arms and legs, to the chest and even the tongue! There are of course people who use more intimate parts of the body, but let's not go into such depth ... Oddly enough, but the popularity of such peculiar artists only increases.

Body fluids instead of paints

Waste Products organisms are used to create a background, and the very blood to complete the details. Most artists discovered their attraction to such art during the second world war. Some psychologists attribute this to a mental disorder and childhood trauma. But the artist, dipping himself in the blood of animals, defies reasonable explanation... By the way, several times they were brought against him criminal proceedings.

Dirty cars instead of canvas

Although not the cleanest, but clearly much more pleasant art than previous candidates. Agree, it is much more pleasant to see a beautiful drawing on the back window of the car than the banal "Wash me!", Or generally obscene language. Moreover, the drawings are not inferior world masterpieces.

Photorealism

Finally, we have reached art in the truest sense of the word. Artists of this style focus not on outrage or scandal, but exclusively on your skill. The point is to create a drawing as similar as possible to photograph. The detailing is amazing, because you can see everything: from individual hairs to needles on spruce.

Anamorphosis

The proud representative of modern art boasts a truly amazing variety of variations. Any joint several surfaces can become a canvas for the artist of this style. The task is to distort drawing or inscription so that it can be seen only at a certain angle.

Artists of the past could hardly imagine what strange forms contemporary art would take.

And this took the following forms:

1. Anamorphosis. This type of contemporary art implies a painting technique that can be fully understood by looking at it only from a certain place or from a certain angle. Some paintings can only be seen by looking at them in a mirror. This art form appeared during the time of Leonardo da Vinci (15th century).
Over the centuries, anamorphosis has developed and in its modern form looks like street art. With this kind of drawings, artists really imitate cracks in the ground, or holes in the walls.

Work by István Oros

2. Photorealism. This type of art originated in the 60s of the last century, and the artists tried to reproduce such realistic images that would not differ from photography. The smallest details captured by the camera created a “picture of the picture of life”. Critics are ambivalent about photorealism, some of them believe that the mechanical production of art objects rather prevails over ideas and style.

3. Drawings on dirty cars. Professionals of this type of art do not seek to depict a banal inscription “wash me” on a dirty car. Specialists use special brushes and brushes for their work. In this area, the 52nd Scott Wade (graphic designer) is considered the leading master. He created many original and amazing drawings using nothing but dirt on car windows. By the way, he started by using a layer of dust on Texas roads as a canvas. There he drew caricatures using small branches and his own fingers.
Today, Wade is invited to promote his products by large corporations and art exhibitions.

Scott Wade's work

4. The use of body fluids for the production of works of art. This is naturally strange, but many artists use their body fluids in their work. Any educated person has heard about this, but 100% what he heard about is just "the tip of an unpleasant iceberg."
For example, Hermann Nitsch, an Austrian artist, uses his urine or the blood of cattle for his work. These addictions appeared during the Second World War, when he was a child. And now, because of his addiction to an unusual form of art, he has been brought to justice several times.
Brazilian artist Vinicius Quesada uses only his own blood in his works, without resorting to the blood of animals. His paintings have a sickly shade of green, yellow and red and are expressed in a very dark surreal atmosphere.

Hermann Nitsch and his work

5. Paintings with my own body. In contemporary art, not only artists who use their own body fluids to produce paintings are popular. Quite famous and in demand are masters who write works with their own bodies.
Kira Ain Warseji creates abstract portraits using her breasts. She has been criticized quite a lot for this. However, this woman is a full-fledged artist who works according to the classical scheme, using paints and brushes.
There are still strange artists who, instead of a brush, use parts of the body that are completely unintended for this purpose. For example, Ani K. draws with her tongue and Stephen Marmer (school teacher) draws with her buttocks.

"Ani K at work"

6. 3D image. The most famous artist in this area is the Los Angeles master Mid Alexa. His work uses non-toxic acrylic paint, making his assistants look like inanimate two-dimensional paintings. Mead presented his technique to the public in 2009. Another significant figure in the field is Detroit artist and photographer Cynthia Greig. In her works of art, she uses ordinary and practical household items, rather than people. She covers them with white paint or charcoal. From this, things from the side look flat and two-dimensional.

One of the works of Alexa Meade

7. Art and shadows. It is not known exactly when mankind began to use the shadow for works of art. But, in spite of everything, contemporary artists have reached unprecedented heights. Masters use shadows to position various objects and even to create shadow images of words, objects and people.
Shadow art has a slightly creepy reputation, however, this does not prevent "shadow artists" from using this style to develop themes of devastation, decline, horror.

The work of the artist Teodosio Aurea

8. "Reverse graffiti". This art form involves the creation of paintings by removing dirt, but without adding paint. Very often, artists use washing machines to remove dirt from the facades of houses, while creating beautiful works of art. This type of art is considered quite controversial by the public, which is why people who engage in "reverse graffiti" almost always have clashes with the police.

The work of the artist Moose

9. Body art illusions. Mankind has been engaged in drawing on the body literally since its inception. Both the Maya and the ancient Egyptians practiced body art. This type of art involves using the human body as a canvas, on which a work of art will be created that can deceive the observer from different angles. Illusions on the body can look like a wound, a car or an animal. The Japanese master Hikaru Cho became famous for drawing cartoon characters on the human body.

Artwork by Hikaru Cho

10. Drawing with light. Drawing with light began to be used in 1914, for practical purposes - in production, the authorities recorded the movement of workers. After working through the data, employees either quit or looked for ways to find an easier way for staff to work.

In 1935, the surrealist artist Man Ray used an open-shutter camera to photograph himself standing in streams of light. For quite a long time, no one could guess what kind of light curls were displayed in the photo. Only in 2009, thanks to technological progress, it became clear that these were not random curls, but a mirror image of the signature of the artist himself.

Contemporary art of the 21st century, more precisely, the end of the 20th - the beginning of the 21st centuries. This will be discussed in this article, the third in a series. A guide to contemporary art. We will continue our acquaintance with contemporary art. Consider the most striking trends of the late 20th - early 21st centuries.

Art in which there is little meaning, but a lot of meaning (Alexander Genis)

Art of the late 20th - early 21st century- omnivorous, ironic, poisonous, democratic - they call the sunset of a great era. Postmodernists have found themselves in a situation where everything has been said before them. And all they have to do is use what they have created, mix styles, create, if not new, but recognizable art…

In the 2 previous articles in the series, we considered:

• Part 3. Late 20th - early 21st century ( consider in this article)

As in the 2 previous articles, for each type of art places will be indicated - cities, museums, sites, where you can see the work of their prominent representatives. This article, like the previous two, can become another an incentive for you to new travels!

From the article you will learn: art is the most striking direction of the late 20th century - early 21st centuries.

1. neorealism;
2. Minimal art;
3. Postmodern;
4. Hyperrealism;
5. installation;
6. Environment;
7. Video art;
8. Graffiti;
9. Transavant-garde;
10. Body art;
11. Stuckism;
12. neoplasticism;
13. Street art;
14. Mail art;
15. No art.

1. NEOREALISM. This is the art of post-war Italy, which struggled with post-war pessimism.

The new front of art united abstractionists and realists and lasted only 4 years. But famous artists came out of it: Gabrielle Muki, Renato Guttuso, Ernesto Treccani. They vividly and expressively depicted workers and peasants.

Similar trends appeared in other countries, but the school of neorealism, which appeared in America through the efforts of the muralist Diego Rivera, is considered the brightest school.

Watch: Renato Guttuso - Chiaramonte Palace (Palermo, Italy), frescoes by Diego Rivera - Presidential Palace (Mexico City, Mexico).

Fragment of a fresco by Diego Rivera for the Prado Hotel in Mexico City "Sunday Dream in Alameda Park", 1948

2. MINIMUM ART. This is the direction of avant-garde. Uses simple forms and excludes any associations.

This direction appeared in the USA in the late 60s. The minimalists called Marcel Duchamp (ready-made), Piet Mondrian (neoplasticism) and Kazimir Malevich (suprematism) their direct predecessors, they called his black square the first work of minimal art.

Extremely simple and geometrically correct compositions - plastic boxes, metal gratings, cones - were made at industrial enterprises according to the sketches of artists.

Look:

Works by Donald Judd, Carl Andre, Saul Levitt - Guggenheim Museum (New York, USA), Museum of Modern Art (New York, USA), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA).

3. POSTMODERN. This is a long list of unrealistic trends of the late 20th century.

Cyclicity is characteristic of art, but postmodern became the first example of the "negation of negation". In the beginning, modernism rejected the classics, and then postmodernism rejected modernism, as it had previously rejected the classics. Postmodernists returned to those forms and styles that were before modernism, but at a higher level.

Postmodernism is a product of the era of new technologies. Therefore, its characteristic feature is a mixture of styles, images, different eras and subcultures. The main thing for postmodernists was quoting, deft juggling with quotations.

Watch: Tate Gallery (London, UK), National Museum of Modern Art Center Pompidou (Paris, France), Guggenheim Museum (New York, USA).

4. HYPERREALISM. Art that imitates photography.

This art is also called Superrealism, Photorealism, Radical Realism or Cold Realism. This direction appeared in America in the 60s and after 10 years it became widespread in Europe.

Artists of this direction exactly copy the world as we see it in the photo. In the works of artists, a certain irony over the technogen is read. Artists depict mostly scenes from the life of a modern metropolis.

Look: works by Chuck Close, Don Eddy, Richard Estes - Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum (New York, USA), Brooklyn Museum (USA).

5. INSTALLATION. This is a composition in the gallery, which can be created from anything, the main thing is that there is a subtext and an idea.

Most likely, this direction would not exist if it were not for Duchamp's iconic urinal. The names of the world's major installers: Dine, Rauschenberg, Beuys, Kunnelis and Kabakov.

The main thing in the installation is the subtext itself and the space where the artists collide banal objects.

Watch: Tate Modern (London, UK), Guggenheim Museum (New York, USA).

6. ENVIRONMENT. It is the art of creating a 3D composition that mimics the real world.

As a trend in art, the environment appeared in the 20s of the 20th century. The Dadaist artist was ahead of his time by several decades when he presented to the public his work “Merz Building” - a three-dimensional structure made of various objects and materials, not suitable for anything other than contemplation.

Half a century later, Edward Kienholtz and George Siegel began to work in this genre and succeeded. In their work, they necessarily introduced a shocking element of delusional fantasy.

See: works by Edvard Kienholz and George Siegel - Museum of Modern Art (Stockholm, Sweden).

7. VIDEO ART. This direction arose in the last third of the 20th century due to the appearance of portable video cameras.

This is another attempt to bring art back to reality, but now with the help of video and computer technology. American Nam June Paik filmed a video of the Pope walking through the streets of New York and became the first video artist.

Nam June Paik's experiments influenced television, music videos (he was at the base of the MTV channel), computer effects in movies. The work of June Pike, Bill Viola made this art direction a field for experimentation. They laid the foundation for "video sculptures", "video installations" and "video operas".

Watch: video art ranging from psychedelic to social (popular in China, Chen-che-yen on Youtube.com)

8. GRAFFITI. Inscriptions and drawings on the walls of houses that carry a bold message.

Appeared for the first time in the 70s in North America. Gallery owners of one of the districts of Manhattan were related to their appearance. They became art patrons of the Puerto Ricans and Jamaicans who lived next door to them. Graffiti combine elements of urban and ethnic subculture.

Names from graffiti history: Keith Hering, Jean-Michel Basquiat, John Matom, Kenny Scharf. The infamous person is a graffiti artist from Britain Banksy. There are postcards with his work in all British souvenir shops.

Watch: Graffiti Museum (New York, USA), works by Banksy - at banksy.co.uk.

9. TRANSAVANGARD. One of the trends in postmodern painting. Combines the past, new painting and expressiveness.

The author of the term transavant-garde is the contemporary critic Bonito Oliva. With this term, he defined the work of 5 of his compatriots - Sandro Chia, Enzo Cucchi, Francesco Clemente, Mimmo Paladino, Nicolo de Maria. Their work is characterized by: a combination of classical styles, lack of attachment to the national school, focus on aesthetic pleasure and dynamics.

Watch: Peggy Guggenheim Collection Museum (Venice, Italy), Museum of Modern Art at Palazzo (Venice, Italy), Gallery of Modern Art (Milan, Italy)

10. BODY ART. One of the directions of actionism. The body acts as a canvas.

Body art is one of the manifestations of 70s punk culture. It is directly related to the fashion for tattoos and nudism that appeared then.

Live pictures are created right in front of the audience, recorded on video and then broadcast in the gallery. Bruce Nauman depicting a Duchamp urinal in a gallery. The duo Gilbert and George are living sculptures. They portrayed the type of an average Englishman.

See: for example, on the website of the artist Orlan orlan.eu.

11. STAKISM. British art association of figurative painting. Opposed to the conceptualists.

The first exhibition was in London in 2007 as a protest against the Tate Gallery. According to one version, they protested in connection with the purchase of works by artists by the gallery in circumvention of the law. The noise in the press drew attention to stackers. Now there are more than 120 artists in the world. Their motto is: an artist who does not draw is not an artist.

The term stackism was proposed by Thomson. Artist Tracey Emin exclaimed to her boyfriend Billy Childish: your painting is stuck, stuck, stuck! (Eng. Stuck! Stuck! Stack!)

Watch: on the stackist website stuckism.com. Works by Charlie Thomson and Billy Childish at the Tate Gallery (London, UK).

12. NEOPLASTICISM. Abstract art. Intersection of perpendicular lines of 3 colors.

The ideologist of the direction is the Dutchman Piet Mondrian. He considered the world to be illusory, so the artist's task is to purify painting from sensual forms (figurative) in the name of aesthetic (abstract) forms.

The artist suggested doing this as concisely as possible with the help of 3 colors - blue, red and yellow. They filled the places between the perpendicular lines.

Neo-plasticism still inspires designers, architects and industrial graphic artists.

Look:works by Piet Mondrian and Theo Vanna Doesburg at the Municipal Museum of The Hague.

13. STREET ART. Art for which the city is an exhibition or a canvas

The goal of a street artist is to instantly engage a passer-by in a dialogue with the help of his installation, sculpture, poster or stencil.

In Europe, “shufiti” (installations of boots hung on trees) and “knitta” (inscriptions from knitted bright fabrics on traffic lights, trees, car antennas) are now popular.

In South America, "pis" or "muralism" (masterfully executed plot drawing or inscription) is popular.

Watch: La Llotja, Old School of Art, Barcelona. Entire sections of street art began to be exhibited at Sotheby's in London.

14. MAIL ART. International non-profit movement. Uses email and regular mail to distribute art.

Initially, mail art was formed as an amalgamation of art trends popular in the 60s - conceptualism, book art, video art, body art.

Mail art is the mailing of a work of art. The original is sent to only one addressee. And reproductions can be sent to several recipients by e-mail or regular mail.

Mail artists use letters, envelopes, postcards, parcels, stamps, stamps. The most common technique is collage. It was popularized by American artist Ray Johnson, a prominent figure in the network. The galleries often host exhibitions of mail art.

The work of mail art is not just postcards designed by artists or amateurs, but those that have passed through the mail, have stamps, stamps, inscriptions. Thus, postal workers are co-authors of mail art.

See: mail art work on the site.

15. NO-ART. These are projects that exist exclusively on the web.

But this is not network design. Recognizing net-art works is not so easy. They are characterized by simplicity and straightforwardness.

From the works of artists working in professional programs, they differ in drive, unbiasedness and speed.

Art is created to delight, surprise, and sometimes shock the public.

Creative people are always a little crazy. Their fantasy has no limits. Before you - the most unusual types of contemporary art.

1. Anamorphosis is a technique for creating images that can only be fully understood from a certain point or angle. In some cases, a normal image appears only if you look at the picture through a mirror. One of the earliest known examples of anamorphosis are some of the writings of Leonardo da Vinci dated to the 15th century.

2. Photorealism. The photorealist movement emerged in the 1960s. The creators sought to create amazingly realistic images that are no different from photographs. They copied even the smallest details from photographs, creating their own paintings. There is also a movement called super-realism, or hyper-realism, which embraces sculpture as well as painting. He was quite influenced by modern pop art culture.

3. Painting dirty cars. Drawing on an unwashed car is often not considered high art, since most of these "artists" rarely write anything more than "wash me." But a 52-year-old American designer named Scott Wade has become famous for his amazing drawings that he creates on the windows of cars dusted from Texas roads. Wade originally painted on car windows with his fingers or sticks, but now he uses special tools and brushes.

4. Use of bodily fluids in art. It may seem strange, but there are a lot of artists who create their works using bodily fluids. For example, the Austrian artist Hermann Nitsch uses urine and a huge amount of animal blood in his work. The Brazilian artist Vinicius Quesada is well known for his series of paintings called Blood and Piss Blues. Remarkably, Quesada only works with his own blood. His paintings create a dark, surreal atmosphere.

5. Drawing with body parts. Recently, the popularity of artists who use parts of their own body for drawing has grown. For example, Tim Patch, who is known under the pseudonym “Pricasso” (in honor of the great Spanish artist Pablo Picasso), draws with his ... reproductive organ. In addition, the 65-year-old Australian artist regularly uses his buttocks and scrotum as a brush. Patch has been doing this kind of work for more than ten years and his popularity is growing every year.

6. Reverse 3-D visualization. While anamorphosis aims to make 2D objects look like 3D objects, reverse 3D rendering is designed to do the opposite - to make a 3D object look like a drawing or a painting. The most notable artist in this area is Alexa Meade from Los Angeles. She uses non-toxic acrylic paints to make people look like two-dimensional inanimate paintings.

7. Shadow art. Shadows are fleeting in nature, so it's hard to tell when people first started using them in art. Contemporary artists have achieved amazing mastery of shadow work. They lay out various objects in such a way that the shadow from them creates beautiful images of people, words or objects. Since shadows are traditionally associated with something mysterious or mystical, many artists use the theme of horror or devastation in their work.

8. Reverse graffiti. Similar to painting dirty cars, the art of reverse graffiti is about creating images by removing dirt rather than adding paint. Artists often use hoses filled with water to remove grime and exhaust grime from walls, creating amazing paintings. The movement originated with English artist Paul "Moose" Curtis, who painted a painting on the smoke-filled wall of a restaurant where he washed dishes as a teenager. Another British artist Ben Long creates his paintings on the back of caravans, using his finger to remove the dirt from the exhaust.