Contemporary Art

There are many things to be considered in making an art work. An idea is not enough. Rhythm, color, harmony and texture are some of the basic elements of art  that could be given importance. An effective artist should be well knowledgeable about the principles involving the use of proper color, or how to choose texture into the art, how to create harmony and how to put rhythm. He should also know about the form of art he is using.
 
What is Contemporary Art?
 Contemporary art refers to art made and produced by artists living today. Today's artists work in and respond to a global environment that is culturally diverse, multifaceted, and technologically advancing. Working in a wide range of mediums, contemporary artists often reflect and comment on modern-day society. Since the early 20th century, some artists have turned away from realistic representation and the depiction of the human figure, and have moved increasingly towards abstraction. In New York City after World War II, the art world coined the term "abstract expressionism" to characterize an art movement that was neither completely abstract, nor expressionistic. Nevertheless, the movement challenged artists to place more emphasis on the process of making art rather than the final product.

Contemporary art is content about abstract expressionism, minimal art, figurative painting, pop art, hyper realism, optical painting, neo- expressionism, feminist art, ephemeral art, video art, digital art, sculptures, and architectures.

Contemporary artists working within the postmodern movement reject the concept of mainstream art and embrace the notion of "artistic pluralism," the acceptance of a variety of artistic intentions and styles. Whether influenced by or grounded in performance art, pop art, Minimalism, conceptual art, or video, contemporary artists pull from an infinite variety of materials, sources, and styles to create art. For this reason, it is difficult to briefly summarize and accurately reflect the complexity of concepts and materials used by contemporary artists. This overview highlights a few of the contemporary artists whose work is on view at the Getty Museum and the concepts they explore in their work.




 Source:
 http://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/classroom_resources/curricula/contemporary_art/background1.html