Contemporary Art: What is it and why does it matter?

Hello! I'm Amadeo Perez and I want to tell you about the fascinating world of contemporary art. Not as a boring academic, but as someone who has lived, breathed and worked with this kind of art for years. So get ready, because I'm going to gut you this topic with my unique style: direct, entertaining and with a lot of chicha.

What the hell is contemporary art?

Contemporary art is a style of artistic expression that spans from the mid-20th century to the present day. Although this definition seems simple, the truth is that it is not so linear. It is a type of art that, as a friend of mine says, "is not content to hang on a wall, it wants to dialogue with you, provoke you and make you think".

It is characterized by:

1. Breaking traditional schemes: Contemporary art challenges everything you understood as "art". It is no longer just painting or sculpture; now we talk about performance, installations, digital art, crypto-art and more.
3. Exploring current issues: Politics, technology, environment, gender.... This type of art is a mirror of our society.
5. Interactivity: It is not enough to observe, many contemporary artists want you to interact with their works, either physically or by reflecting on them.

Why do people have such a hard time understanding it?

Here's a secret: It happened to all of us at first! Contemporary art, unlike classical art, does not seek to be "pretty" or necessarily immediately understandable. For example, did you know that artists like Marcel Duchamp revolutionized art with everyday objects, such as a urinal? Yes, a urinal.

The key to understanding it is: open your mind. It's not all about technique or aesthetics. Contemporary art is more about the concept, the idea behind the work. It's an art that challenges you, that sometimes makes you uncomfortable, but that always has something to say.

Key movements in contemporary art

This is getting interesting...Within contemporary art there are currents that continually redefine it. Here are some that you should know about if you want to look like an expert in your next coffee gatherings:

2. Minimalism: "Less is more". Artists like Donald Judd invite us to see beauty in simplicity.
4. Performance Art: It's not theater, even if it looks like it. Marina Abramović, for example, uses her own body to explore human emotions and relationships.
6. Urban Art: From Banksy's graffiti to murals that transform entire neighborhoods, this movement brings art to the streets.
8. Installations: Immersive works that play with space. Yayoi Kusama, with her rooms filled with mirrors and lights, is an iconic example.
10. Cryptoart and NFTs: Welcome to the digital age. Artists like Beeple are revolutionizing the art market with works sold as NFTs, a kind of digital collectible art.

My personal experience: art as dialogue

I'll tell you something curious: a few years ago I had the opportunity to work on a collaborative installation in a museum. The project consisted of creating an interactive room where visitors could deconstruct and reconstruct the work with magnetic pieces. The result? Every day was a new work. Here I learned that contemporary art is not static; it's a dialogue between the creator and the viewer.

Why should you give it a try?

I know what you're thinking: "This sounds complicated, Amadeo." But I promise you that contemporary art can change your perspective on the world. You don't need to be an expert, just curiosity and willingness to be surprised.

Don't know where to start? Go to an exhibition, search for artists on social networks or simply ask yourself: What is this work trying to tell me?

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