Here is an introduction to some of the most popular techniques to art that still resonate in contemporary times.
In the time following its emergence, abstract expressionism has been a substantial influence on visual art. Integrating the stark abstract nature of cubism with the frantic experimentalism of dada, abstract expressionism became popular in the 1950s, especially in New York. A crucial hallmark of the style was its minimalistic nature; canvases were disrobed to condense the strength of the image, these very often being cultural signs such as flags. Pop art also came about in this time, somewhat of a response to a few of the abstract art ideas of the time. This was a visual style that worried itself implicitly with confronting the very idea of what could pass for 'art'. Using techniques such as stylistic repetition, photography and slogans, pop art work were often an ironic approach to the intrinsic consumerism of society, where representational images of soup cans were the main image of a canvas. Jennifer Packers art is a fantastic example of the type of work affected by modern art movements.
Cubism had an undoubtedly profound impact on the evolution of modern art. Seemingly coming out of nowhere, cubist art had its stylistic origins in the uncertainty found in the work of impressionism, the avant garde of fin de sielce symbolism and the formal intensity of African tribal art. Yet despite its abstract style, this was a movement that developed out of the individual circumstances of the most iconic painter of the twentieth century, with images notified by alienation, poverty and relationships. Whilst at first deemed to be too outrageous and strange, cubism became incredibly impactful in the arts from the 1920s onwards, inspiring all things from architecture to literature, not to mention the many visual arts styles that followed in its steps.
Impressionism is among the most famous art movements in art history. Emerging in Paris around the 1860s, impressionists were at first a group of rather impoverished young artists with a collective ambition to radically alter painting. Disappointed with the academic system that seemed to control the art world, these young painters rebelled by holding their own exhibits independently, obtaining infamy while doing so. This might appear odd, seeing the frequency and popularity of impressionism over the last century, yet at the time, the approach was really shocking. From the equipment they used for their work, to the topic-- this was painting that challenged the prescribed conventions of what art was supposed to be. Impressionist painters wished to document modern life in all its forms; whether it be scenes of nightlife or images of industrialisation, these were painters who produced images without filter or regard for what the critics considered appropriate. The method itself was surprising; never before had landscapes been depicted in such a mystical and vivid manner-- this was painting that changed all previous ideas of point of view, one of the essential characteristics of modern art itself. Frank Zweegers art is an excellent example of work influenced by the great impact of impressionism, as is Mira Dancys art.