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Contemporary art refers to art of the present day, often focusing on ideas rather than aesthetics alone. Contemporary artists experiment with different materials and methods to best illustrate their ideas, which can include painting, photography, sculpture, film, performance art, and installation art. To understand contemporary artworks, it helps to ask questions about what stories or ideas they communicate, any historical or social issues they represent, important symbols or materials used, and how their form, colors, or placement interact with the viewer.

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ARLANTE, ANGELA GAIL L.
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17 views18 pages

Question Kit Cards

Contemporary art refers to art of the present day, often focusing on ideas rather than aesthetics alone. Contemporary artists experiment with different materials and methods to best illustrate their ideas, which can include painting, photography, sculpture, film, performance art, and installation art. To understand contemporary artworks, it helps to ask questions about what stories or ideas they communicate, any historical or social issues they represent, important symbols or materials used, and how their form, colors, or placement interact with the viewer.

Uploaded by

ARLANTE, ANGELA GAIL L.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is

contemporary
Art?

»
Introduction
Contemporary art is the term used
for art of the present day. Usually the
artists are alive and still making work.
Contemporary art is often about
ideas and concerns, rather than
solely the aesthetic (the look of
the work).
Artists try different ways of
experimenting with ideas and
materials.
Contemporary artists use whatever
they think illustrates their idea most
appropriately. Nowadays artists have
many different methods and materials
to use. Some use painting and
drawing but there is also photography,
sculpture, film, new media, live
performance, light, sound and
installation. Contemporary art is
therefore very varied.
To understand contemporary art it
helps to ask questions.
These are questions that may help
you explore what an artwork is about.
Does the work
tell a story?

»
Does the work tell a story?
Is there a narrative or story
to the work?

Does the work communicate


an 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 any
issues in the
work?

»
Are there any issues
in the work?

Is there an underlying
theme to the work?

Does the work make


you think of anything
important?

Are there any links that


you can make to history,
politics or everyday life?

Does the work make you


want to investigate
something? If so, what
and why?
Are there any
images, objects,
materials or
symbols that are
important in the
work?

»
Are there any images,
objects, materials or
symbols that are important
in the work?

Are there any clues hidden


in the work? (Sometimes
artists include objects or
images that represent
something else).

Does the artist want you to


interpret what is in the work?

Is there anything in the work


that refers to other cultures?
Does the
work have
a title?

»
Does the work have
a title?

Does the title suggest


anything?

Does the title explain


anything about the work?

If there is no title why


might this be?
Is colour
important
in the work?

»
Is colour important
in the work?

What colours have


been used?

Does the colour create any


effect or emotion? If so, can
you describe it?

If different colours had been


used would this matter?
Would it create a new
meaning?
Does the work
interact with the
space it is in?

»
Does the work interact
with the space it is in?

Is the presentation of
the work important?

Does the environment have


an impact on the work?

Could this work be


put anywhere else?

Do you have to experience


the work from a particular
place or angle? Try looking
at the work from different
places.
Does it require
a set time to
look at the
work?

»
Does it require a set
time to look at the work?

How long do you think you


need to spend with the work
to see it properly?

Can you see more if you


spend longer looking at
something?

If the work is a film, do you


have to watch all of it?

Do you have to watch


it from the beginning?

Does it change over time?


How has the
work been
made?

»
How has the work
been made?

Describe the techniques


the artist has used?

Do the materials used have


any meaning or associations?

What does this tell you


about the work?

What senses do the


materials affect? (ie. Is it
visual? Do they smell? Can
you touch them? Can you
hear anything?)

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