Some of the

Postmodern arts
(after 1969)
 “Conceptual Art”
• The basis of this art is to deliver a specific idea to the spectator,
thus; the “Idea” is considered to be the backbone of this type of art.
• The beginnings of the Conceptual art date back to the 1960s; and
the “Fluxus” movement artist “Henry Flynt” was the first to establish
the term “Conceptual art”.
• This term had been interpreted into different meanings, especially by
the American artist “Joseph Kusuth” and the “Art and Language
Group”; which members included “David Rushton”, “Terry Atkinson”,
“David Bainbridge” and “Harold Hurrel”.
• The “Art and Language group” considered that the Conceptual art
replaces the work of art “the object”; by analyzing it.
• Conceptual artists think that art must deliver
an “artistic knowledge” to the spectator; and
that the work of art “the object” is not the
target “end” in its self.
• The first gallery for Conceptual art was held in 1970 in the United
States of America, at the “New York cultural center”; it was titled
“Conceptual Art and Conceptual Aspects”.

• Conceptual art has become a major movement

in the history of art, due to what it represents of
a comprehensive concept that absorbs almost
all the art movements; which was originated
from it; that appeared after the end of the 1960s;
e.g. in the postmodern period.
 Installation Art
• It can use two-dimensional works of art
(painting – drawing – photography), as
well as three-dimensional works of art; and
in this case the Installation work of art is
more affective in regards to its interactive
with the space.
• Works of Installation art usually have a
conceptual nature; meaning that the “idea” is its
main focus, not the object that is displayed as a
creative work of art.
• In many occasions; the work of Installation art is
a combination of “readymade objects”, it doesn’t
have to contain works that demonstrate the
artist’s professionalism in the work formulation.
But; this must not be considered a characteristic
of the works of Installation art, because in many
cases; the artist produce every element of the
final art work.
 Performance Art
• It is in fact a “conceptual art” in which the
artist(s) is a part of the work of art and play a
pivotal and expressional role in it.
• The performance art can include various
elements; such as musical instruments, auditory
elements; such as electronic music, singing,
spoken dialogues and storytelling, as well as
visual elements; such as television, photography
and sculpturing, and rhythmic timing elements;
such as dancing.
• * Performance art is connected with some earlier art
movements; especially the arts of “Dadaism” and the
“Happening”; although there is a difference between
them and the Performance art, as the latter is less
spontaneous.
• * Also; the Dadaism and Happening arts were produced
by plastic artists (painters and sculptors), while the
Performance art; which depends on artists with various
backgrounds; can be produced by theatre actors,
authors and dancers.
• The Performance art is sometimes called
with other names, such as:
• - Live art
• - Action art
• - Intervention art
• - Maneuver art
• The four aspects of the Performance art
are:
• 1- The performer(s)
• 2- Time
• 3- Space
• 4- The interaction between the
performer(s) and the spectators.
• The subjects of the Performance art
deal with political issues, personal
experiments, race-related matters,
social levels and feminism.
• Among the most important Performance artists
are:
• Laurie Anderson
• Nam June Paik
• Michael Smith
• Vito Acconci
• Carolee Schneeman
• Martha Wilson
• Eric Bogosian
• Spalding Gray
• Karen Finley
 “Photorealism”
• * An international movement started at the end of the
1960s, which tended to render the subject of the art work
“the painting”; which is usually taken from an actual
photograph or other paintings in the form of “slides”, this
movement is sometimes known as “Superrealism”.
• * Photorealism focuses on the subjectivity of the
painting; and it depends on high professionalism and
technique in producing paintings that are distinct with
extreme clarity.
• * The most important subjects of Photorealism are
streets and roads, as well as portraits and still nature.
• Among the most important Photorealism
artists are:
• Chuck Close (1940-?)
• Richard Estes (1936)
• Duane Hanson (1925–96)