The Appeal of Modern Art

The beauty of art is in the eye of the beholder. Each person may have a different love for different types of art. Modern art holds great appeal. According to Art Encyclopedia modern art isn’t modern at all. It’s been around since the early 1830s when Edouard Manet and the French Impressionists began their own forms of artistic representations. Modern art used new ways to experience art, new techniques of painting and new theories of how art should reflect the world. 


Modern art could be a statue thrown together in pieces, a canvas with abstract shapes or a piece of clay in strange shapes. BarryMackArt.com answers the question as to why people even enjoy modern art. Some may not find the beauty in it as they only see scribbles and art that seems easy to create. The website says to truly understand modern art you have to understand the “why” behind it. Modern art is about being creative, not being skillful. Even alphabet art can be seen as modern art to the keenest artist. 

This could be why so many people love modern art. From the 1800s to the 1970s modern art made its mark in the world. People love it because each piece is all about vision of the artist. You can stare into the piece and decide your own vision for the piece of work. It isn’t just a splash of color on your wall, but a look into the depth and beauty. Many modern pieces are made with social issues in mind so you can decide for yourself what the artist was trying to fight for or against when they created the piece. 

Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock and Paul Cézanne are some of the most famous modern art painters. They revolutionized the way people viewed art as it hung on their walls or adorned their homes. Their own fascinations with the world came together in the expression of their artwork. 

So why do people find such appeal in this modern artwork from over a hundred years ago? Each person that views a piece of modern artwork might find a different meaning. Since its open to interpretation it can be a fun piece of communication at a dinner party. Not everyone can appreciate each piece from someone’s mind as they might question the artist themselves. They may ask if the artist was even trying to communicate in their own way. Putting that thought aside, the artist was probably striving for appreciation and to make a point. The appeal stems from the basic point that each piece is all about context. It is a piece of art that wasn’t made in a vacuum. The piece may look like a finger painting to some, but to another it might be the chaos of life. Modern art’s expression is about removing all skill and being raw. Jackson Pollock’s paint thrown on a canvas was about invoking emotion and actually removing himself from the painting. Of course, this is all up to the person looking into the piece of modern art. 

The best thing about modern art could be that just maybe it does require lots of skill. A drip painting cannot be made by any person. Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” is one of the most popular modern art paintings. While some see a painting thrown together in only a few hours, others see their life right there in front of them. Richard Tuttle’s piece of modern art that is simply a diagonal line on a canvas may seem ridiculous to some. To others it is a masterpiece new to its time explaining ongoing life. It takes skill to invoke such emotion in a person. 

Most people can agree the love for modern art is also about enjoying a timeless piece. Modern art that has been around since the 1800s doesn’t seem to be leaving our living rooms anytime soon. Modern art fills homes and spaces with color and expression. You can create your own masterpiece by simply filling your space with modern art that brings alive your own spirit.  Perhaps you have been searching for that type of art that gets your entrepreneurial juices flowing, then study the above mentioned modern art.

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