Beyond the canvas

In the 1900s, when French artist Claude Monet’s impressionist movement sought to challenge the Académie des Beaux-Arts’ perception of realism in art, it was initially rejected by the public. That attitude changed when others began to observe the potential beyond simply reflecting an image of ‘reality’ or ‘fact’ via the confines of a two-dimensional canvas. The initial concept of impressionism was later adopted by such influential art movements as cubism, futurism, Dadaism and art deco – all dedicated to exploring – among other things – the potential to convey a message beyond the simple presentation of ‘fact’ through a two-dimensional medium.

Instead, they used the canvas to expand far beyond two dimensions, into new realms of creativity. Predating this core shift in the definition