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MAPEH FOR TODAY’S

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The New Grade 10

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Arts

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MODULE 1: MODERN ART

LESSON 1 - MODERN ARTS


At the start of the 20th century, artists were now bold in trying to ex- press themselves in
less realistic manner. These artists were influenced by the new technology being discovered such
as photography. The art of photography made it capture images realistically. And artists started
veering away from realistic depictions and styles taught in schools. They were now more
concerned in the now rather than look back at the masters of the past. This freed the modern
artists from the constraints of the previous movements and made them more experimental and
inventive.
LESSON FOCUS

MODERN ART (1870-1970)


Modern art are artworks made from around the 1870 to the 1970. Thin period succeeded
the artworks produced in the academic style. The emergence of modernism is traced to many
factors. One of which was the Industrial revolution which began around the 1760 and lasted until
the 1840s the industrial revolution resulted in fast changes in manufacturing, transportation, and
technology. This resulted to a change in the social, cultural and economic environment in Europe
and Northern America. People were transferring to urban cities, travelling and having new world
views and access to new ideas.
The industrial revolution resulted with new patrons of the arts. Church commissioned art
declined. Affluent entrepreneurs became art collectors and supporters. These new clients had
different taste compared to that of the aristocracy.
The gallery system in art developed during this time. Artists painted what they want and
these were exhibited in galleries. Patrons would go to these galleries and buy the artworks that
they liked. This system liberated the artist to explore new themes, ideas, and styles, not limited
by what the clients commissioned.
The invention of photography is also one of the factors that sparked the modernism
movement. It made painters question their role in society. With photography being able to
completely replicate images and scenes. Painters question their usefulness and function. Another
technological ad- wattage was the invention of the collapsible tin paint tubes by John Rand in
1841 made it easier for artists to go out the confines of their studios and paint without worry that
the paints would dry out or spill.
Publications such as Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams in 1899, influenced
artists of the time to use dreams, symbolism, and iconography to represent subjective
experiences in art. Modernist painters veered away from mythological subjects and religious
scenes. And instead preferred to use subjects such as people, places, and ideas which the artist
had direct connection with.

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Realist painters were also catalysts to the rise of modernism. Realist painters such as
Gustave Courbet, Jean Francois Millet, and others were among the first to question the prevailing
academic traditions of their period.
Modem art deals with artworks that were made from 1860-1970’s Modernism is
characterized by a movement away from the traditional and classical modes in painting that
many artists felt outdated. It shows more experimentation, and a new perspective and ideas as to
how art is supposed to be and how it functioned. New types of art were developed such as kinetic
art, assemblage, performance art, to name a few. New materials were used such as the found
objects in assemblages. New techniques were also developed in this period such as multi-color
printmaking method called chromolithography, and pointillism, a painting technique that
branched out of Impressionism which made use of colored dots to create forms and images.
There were dozens of different modernist styles and movements that emerged during this
period. Here are but a few examples. One of the first artistic style that emerged from this era was
Impressionism.

IMPRESSIONISM (1867-1886)
The term Impressionism came from an art critic Louis Leroy when he saw Claude
Monet's Impression, Soleil Levant (Impression, Sunrise) in 1874. Impressionists were a group of
French artists who shared the realist interest in the real world. Impressionist painters also chose
to paint the modern life and concentrated on the middle class relaxing and doing leisurely
activities, a trait they shared with the realist painters.
Impressionism showed everyday objects and how it reacted with light. They tried to
capture how the color of the objects changed with the movement of light and day. Impressionist
painters wanted to capture the fleeting moment. The painters needed to be quick to capture that
moment in canvass.
Common characteristics of Impressionist paintings are: Impressionist paintings were
done in open air. The Impressionists left the confines of their art studios and painted outdoors.
The Impressionist artist in trying to capture a temporary scene did away with the preparatory
sketches and modelling.
Pure colors of paint are used and dabbed on the canvass rather than mixing it on their
palette. This resulted in quick, spontaneous, and loose brushstrokes, and the use of strong colors
to show the movement of light in the open environment.
When Impressionism first came out it was not acknowledged as any- thing special. Art
critics, collectors, and clients did not patronize the style. And Impressionist works were often
denied exhibition at the official Salons. This resulted with many of the Impressionist painters
encountering financial difficulties. The group's survival came from the mutual support the among
its co-members. There are many notable Impressionist painters such as Edouard Manet (1832-
1883), Degas (1834-1917), Paul Cezanne (1839-1906), and of course Claude Monet (1840-
1926).

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Claude Monet was the founder and most productive practitioner of the French
Impressionist movement. He was born in November 14, 1840. He believed that art should
express the fleeting moments and quality of nature. He painted landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes
at different times of the day and year showing the impermanence of the natural environment.
Monet died in December 5, 1926 of lung cancer.

Impression, Soleil Levant by Claude Monet


Monet's work Impression, Sunrise (1872), is the painting that is said to have given the
Impressionist movement its name. The painting shows the port in Monet's hometown of Le
Havre, in Normandy, France. Monet is said to have named it Impression, Sunrise to describe the
hazy quality of the painting.

POST-IMPRESSIONISM (c. 1880-1905)


Post-impressionism is a phase in modern art where artists felt the need to go beyond the
imitative style of Impressionism. It lasted roughly from the 1880’s to the early 1900’s. This
phase started in France and progressed to the different parts of Europe. Many post-impressionist
painters were former impressionist painters. They adapted the impressionist style in a more
personal approach, which resulted in a variety of styles, techniques, and movements such as
Neo-impressionism, Expressionism, Art Nouveau, and Fauvism.
The importance of the Post-impressionism phase was largely due to the ground breaking
works of artists such as Paul Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh. Paul Cezanne is considered to be
the important bridge between Impressionism and the Cubism. He started his career as an
Impressionist painter and later became key figure in Post-Impressionism. He is very influential to
the artist of Cubism, especially to Pablo Picasso. Cezanne was a master in variety of paintings
such as still life, portraiture, landscape, and genre paintings. He was born in 1839 in the south of
France into a wealthy family. Even at a young age Cezanne wanted to be a painter, but his father
wanted him to go to business. In order to appease his father's desire, he studied law, school at the
age of 19. Even when he was studying law, Cezanne took up art lessons on the side. Eventually
he left law school and pursued an art career in Paris, France. He submitted works for exhibition
at the salons but was always refused by the selection committee. These setbacks did not stop him
from pursuing his passion for the arts continuously honing his craft by observing the works of
the great masters.
In 1873, a special exhibition called the Salon des Refuses was held. This featured the
rejected artworks from the official Salon. Cezanne's work along with other artists such as Monet,
Manet, Pissaro, Whistler were exhibited. The harsh comments from the critics hurt Cezanne and
made him continue his work away from Paris. During this time, he started developing his
technique in art. He recreated the things he sees in nature in simple forms and color that spread
out in all directions on the canvass. His works are described as solid, durable, and geometric. He
believed that nature is made of the three basic forms (spheres, cylinders, and cones). Peers
praised his works which made people take notice of his paintings. This attention translated to a
one-man exhibition in Paris in 1885, and his artistic reputation grew swiftly, He died in 1906 due
to pneumonia.

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Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)
One of the most popular artists in modern art is the Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh. He
was an important post-impressionist and a pioneer of Expressionism. He uses an Impasto
technique where thick paint is applied on the surface, leaving the brush strokes or painting-knife
strokes visible. Van Gogh is particular to bright and vivid colors, His style and expressive brush
strokes have inspired many generations of artist.
Vincent was born in March 1853 in the southern part of the Nether- lands. He was born to
a very religious family. When he was a child, he wanted to become a priest. Unfortunately, his
dreams of becoming a priest and later an evangelist did not work out. With the financial and
emotional support of his brother Theo, Vincent Van Gogh became a painter. His early works in
Netherlands were gloomy and heavy as influenced by French realist Jean-Francois Miller.
He later on moved to Paris, having been introduced by his brother Theo to Impressionist
painters. The influence of the impressionists can be seen as his coolers became lighter, vivid, and
expressive. His style soon again changed due to the influence of the post-impressionist painter
Paul Gauguin.
During the latter part of his life Vincent Van Gogh suffered bouts with insanity and
admitted himself to an asylum. While in the hospital he continued to paint as he believed that it
was a way of keeping him sane. After several unsuccessful treatments, Vincent Van Gogh's
depression worsened and he committed suicide and died two days later. Vincent created around
900 paintings and 1100 drawings and sketches in his ten-year career as an artist.
Vincent Van Gogh coped with the difficulties of the world through his art. The rejection
he suffered made him recreate a world full of color and movement as seen in his paintings. His
paintings of distorted form and color reflect his inner feelings. This autobiographical approach in
painting also makes him a pioneer in Expressionism.

EXPRESSIONISM (c. 1890-present)


Expressionism is characterized as a deeply personal style in art. An expressionist artist
communicates his personal feelings about his subject rather than just painting what he sees. The
message of the artist takes precedence over the realistic depiction of the subject. The
representation of an object would sometimes be distorted or sometimes be replaced with imagery
to better communicate the artist's opinion and heighten the impact upon the viewer. This resulted
to artworks that were expressive and subjective.
Expressionist artworks are characterized by thick applications of paint (impasto) giving
texture and evoking an intense and violent mood of the work. The colors used are bold, often
strong and unnatural; the brush- strokes are loose and applied freely.
Expressionist movement manifested itself in Germany and Paris in the late 19th century.
It was a reaction to the passive style of the Impressionist. Early expressionism was considered
part of post-impressionism. In fact, one of the pioneers of expressionism was the post-

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impressionist, Vincent Van Gogh (1833-1B00) other pioneers of the movement were Paul
Gauguin (1884-1903), and Edvard Munch (1863-1944).
Edvard Munch was a Norwegian painter and printmaker. He was born in 1863 in
London, Norway. Edvard Munch's life is full of tragedy and death. He lost his mother when he
was five, and his elder sister a few years after. One of his younger sisters suffered from mental
illness and his brother died a few months after getting married. These experiences he would later
ex- press through his art, that is why most of his well-known artworks use images that evoke the
feeling of anxiety, isolation, rejection, and death.
One of Edvard Munch's most famous works is the Scream, painted in 1893, this artwork
exemplifies the characteristics of expressionism. The painting offers an insight to the artist's
inner anxiety, which he called "soul painting." It placed more importance on the meaning the
artist was trying to convey rather than showcasing technical skill, the inspiration behind the
painting actually came while he was walking down the road with his friends at the sunset. To
others this might inspire a beautiful landscape, but for Edvard the experience left a much
grimmer feeling.
The artist wrote: I was walking down the road with two friends when the sun set,
suddenly, the sky turned as red as blood. I stopped and leaned against the fence, feeling
unspeakably tired. Tongues of fire and blood stretched over the bluish black fjord. My friends
went on walking, while I lagged behind, shivering with fear. Then heard the enormous infinite
scream of nature”
Support for expressionism really grew in Germany. It produced three groups of
Expressionists artists whose works are classified as German Expressionism. Other expressionist
movements developed. Different movements with expressionistic tendencies such as abstract
expressionism, figurative expressionism, neo-expressionism, etc. arose throughout the world and
continue to develop even today.

CUBISM (c. 1907-1914)


Cubism was a style of painting developed by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)
and French artist Georges Braque (1882-1963) in Paris c. 1907. It was inspired by the geometric
style and composition of Paul Cezanne. Its revolutionary approach to represent reality redefined
fine arts.
Cubism grew from the collaboration of Picasso and Braque. Picasso felt that
Impressionism provided limited the opportunity for intellectual exploration. While he was in
Spain, Picasso was exposed to the tribal art of Africa. This exposure to tribal arts can be seen in
his work Les Demoiselles D'Avignon (The Ladies of Avignon) in 1907. It features five female
nudes depicted with geometric and disjointed bodies. Two of the figures are presented to be
wearing some sort of African masks. It was a ground breaking artwork that used flat planes and
abandoned linear perspective and of rounded forms. While Braque was inspired by Cezanne's
exhibit at the Parisian Salon in 1907. Braque's paintings experimented with geometry and
multiple perspective. For the next two years the pair developed the style known as Cubism.

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Cubism is characterized by showcasing an object from multiple points of view and at
different times. The subject is then reconstructed out of these different planes of views. Cubism
concentrated on the two-dimensional sur- face and rejected the techniques of linear perspective
and modelling.
The term Cubism came from the art critic Louis Vauxcelles after reviewing Braque's
style of reducing the figures and objects of his works into geometric outlines-to cubes. This is
considered the early phase of Cubism. Around 1909, Cubism went through its analytical phase.
In this stage Cubism lost its cube-like images and instead was replaced with flat geometric
planes. These geometric planes were transparent and overlapped with one another. Its outlines
were defined by straight or curved lines. In 1912, the Cubist style again evolved to its third and
final stage called Synthetic Cubism. Synthetic Cubism is characterized by its innovative use of
bright colors, collage, and paper cut outs in the artwork.
Cubism as a style broke the traditional ideas of what art is. It provided alternatives to the
traditional linear perspective. It showed that fine art could be made from a variety of mediums,
even thrash. It made people rethink what art is.

DADA (c. 1916-1924)


Dada was an anti-art movement that started in 1916. It was a reaction to the First World
War and a rebellion against the ruling establishment as well as the art institutions that supported
it. It was movement against everything that the Dadaist believed contributed to the First World
War. The movement developed in both Europe and the United States at the same time.
The term "Dada" was chosen randomly from a German-French dictionary by the poet
Richard Huelsen back, it was a nonsensical word which is probably why it was chosen by the
group. It means different things in different languages all of which has nothing to do with the
ideology of the movement.
The Dada art was intentionally off-putting. It was scandalous and shocking. It
undermined the established rules and traditions of art through demonstrations, publications of
manifestos, and exhibitions of absurd art. These artworks were outrageous, the Dadaist believed
that art can be made of anything and the idea behind the art was more important than the art
itself. This belief is clearly seen in Marcel Duchamp's ready-mades and photomontage. Ready-
mades were art made from found objects, but used differently from their normal context. The
photomontage was a technique similar to that of the collage of the cubist. Dada artists used
clipping of photographs or reproduced images that were pasted together.
The Dadaist also sought to find new ways of presenting their ideas that were not tainted
by the traditional concepts of art. This resulted in new experimental forms and techniques in art
which were a precursor and inspiration for later modern and contemporary art movements like
surrealism, pop art, and art forms such as installation and performance art.
One of the earliest examples of Dada art was Marcel Duchamp's (1887- 1968) sculpture
Fountain (1917). This readymade was an uninstalled urinal with which he signed as a
pseudonym "R.Mutt." Duchamp submitted this piece to the Society of Independent Artist

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Exhibition in Paris, 1917. The committee rejected the piece saying it was not art. This
rejection Duchamp felt led to his resignation from the board of the said group.
The Dada movement ended in the 1920’s when many of its members felt that the
movement have lost its relevance and the movement has reached its limits. Many Dada artists
ideas led to a new art movement called Surrealissm

SURREALISM (c. 1924-1966)


Surrealism was an art movement that started in 1924 by writer, poet, and Dadaist Andre
Breton (1896-1966), It was at the start a literature, but was adapted to the visual arts.
Surrealism was influenced by the works of the psychologist, Sigmund Freud, Freud
stated that dreams were our subconscious way of dealing with personal issues and realities. With
this mind set surrealist believed that dreams and our subconscious were as real as our waking
state and set to free the creative power of the subconscious.
There were two Surrealist art styles, one was representational, which meant Surrealists
expressed their art through a realistic depiction of objects but is set or distorted beyond the
capabilities of reality, it combines objects Or elements together that would never be together in
real life. Because of these illogical arrangements, surrealist artworks give a dreamlike quality
which can be cheerful as a dream or can be as terrifying as a nightmare. The other style is called
abstract surrealism which is based on shapes and forms that does not represent anything found
in real life, but rather forms made by the subconscious.
The surrealist is credited in conceiving a number of new techniques in producing
accidental images with which the creative power of the sub- conscious could be freed. These
techniques include:
 Frottage is a technique where a piece of paper would be placed on top a texture surface,
A pencil or a crayon will be rubbed on top of the paper producing an impression of the
surface,
 Decalcomania is a technique wherein paint is splashed onto a piece of paper. While the
paint is still wet another piece of paper will be rubbed onto it giving a forest-like pattern.
 Grattage makes use of a painted canvass placed on top of a textured surface. The paint
will then be scraped away creating an impression.
 Fumage makes use of placing a piece of paper over a lighted candle; moving the paper
around will result in patterns from the soot.
 Automatic drawing uses a writing instrument and just let it move around a medium
without conscious thought.
 Drip painting utilizes paint drips from a moving can of paint.
There is no clear consensus with art historians as to when surrealism as a movement ended.
Some say it was after the death of its pioneer Andre Breton (1896-1966) in 1966, other say it was
after the death of Salvador Dali in 1989. But as a style surrealism is still utilized by many artists
even today.

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One of the most popular surrealist artists is Salvador Dali (1904-1989). This academy-trained
Spanish artist is known for his careful attention to detail, bizarre subject matter, and the use of
Freudian dream symbolisms in his artworks which he sometimes referred to as "hand painted
dream photographs." In 1931, he painted his most recognizable surreal artwork The Persistence
of Memory. The painting depicts a number of melting clocks in a barren landscape.

ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM (1947-1965)


Abstract Expressionism was movement in 1940s in the United States whose artworks are
characterized as non-representative" paintings. The term abstract expressionism was first used to
describe the works of the Ger- man expressionists and was later applied in the American art
movement. As abstract expressionism was flourishing in the United States, a series of parallel
movements appeared in Europe under different names such as Art Informal, Tachisme, etc.
Abstract expressionism is characterized by two distinct styles. The first is called action
painting due to the energetic style in which the paint is splashed, dripped, or spilled onto the
canvas. The style was spontaneous and impulsive. One of the most well-known abstract
expressionist painter Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) practices this style. Jackson Pollock is nick-
named "Jack the Dripper" because of his trademark style of dripping and splattering paint on a
canvas placed on the floor.
The other is called color-field painting This style is more passive. This makes use of flat
areas or fields of color inviting the viewers to contemplate and create an emotional response.
Like its counterpart, color-field paintings were large in order to create an impact mote personal
to the viewer. An abstract expressionist artist known for this style was Mark Rothko (1903-
1970).

OP ART (1964-1970)
In 1964, a new art form came in to the scene called Op art, as named by Time Magazine.
Op art or optical arts is an example of kinetic art, an art form that fools the eye into thinking that
the artwork is moving. This optical illusion is achieved by the use of geometric designs arranged
in a careful mathematical pattern.
Op art was a type of abstract art made of geometric shapes. These shapes and patterns
were chosen for their designed illusion rather than its content. Earliest op art was black-and-
white which later developed to vibrant colors.
This style was used in different mediums such as interior design, fashion, advertising,
album art, etc. It became very popular during the latter part of the 1960s but it quickly waned
after.
One of the proponents of the Op art style was Bridget Riley (1931- present). This British
artist is known for her artworks that produce dizziness to the viewer, causing one to look away.
The arrangement, although carefully planned, is often by intuition rather than by mathematical
calculations.

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RECAP
 Modern art are artworks that were produced from the 1870-1970. This period succeeded
the artworks produced in the academic style.
 Impressionism was a style using quick, spontaneous, and loose brushstrokes, and the use
of strong colours to show the movement of light in the open environment.
 Post-Impressionism was a phrase in a modern art where artist felt the need to go beyond
the imitative style of Impressionism
 Expressionism is a style in art that in art characterized as deeply personal. Artworks this
style communicates the artist's personal feeling about his subject rather than just painting
what he observes.
 Cubism are artworks that showcase the subject from multiple points of view and at
different times.
 Dada was an anti-art movement that started in 1916
 Surrealism were artworks that hoped to express the subconscious in visual arts.
 Abstract expressionism was a movement in 1940s in the United States whole artworks
are characterized and "non-representative" paintings.
 Op art or optical art is an example of kinetic art, an art form that fools the eye into
thinking that the artwork is moving. This optical illusion is achieved by the use of
geometric designs arranged in a careful mathematical pattern.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
Art Movements
As you have learned, there are many movements and styles in art. Choose a theme which
you will depict using the different art styles that you have learned about.
MATERIALS:
 5 pcs 1/8 illustration boards
 Drawing materials
 Coloring material
PROCEDURE:
1. Choose a theme for your project.
2. Choose 5 different art styles or movement that you would use to depict your chosen
theme
3. So for example, you chose "a mother and child" theme. You can portray the theme using
expressionism, impressionism, pop art, cubism
4. Use one illustration board per style or movement.
5. Share your work through social media.

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Critique Your Work


Describe: What was the theme that you used for your project?
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Analyse: How were the styles different from one another?


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Interpret: Why did you choose this theme? What is its importance to you?
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Judge: Do you think you were successful in making a visual time- line of your chosen
theme?
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CULMINATING ACTIVITY
1. Choose an object that you see inside your house. Draw that object in the cubist style.
Share your work in social media.

2. Art makes us think. Looking at Marcel Duchamp’s artwork Fountain, would you
agree that this is art? Support your answer with evidence.

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REFLECTION
1. Based on the culminating activity, what did you learn?
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2. What can you say about the different artistic movements in early and pre-war modern
art?
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________________________________________________________________________

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LESSON 2 - POSTMODERNISM AND CONTEMPORARY ARTS

Art continues to evolve over time. New trends and aesthetics are formed. Advance in
technology and changes in ideology results in new art movement and styles.
Modernism soon gave way to a new aesthetics, one that rejected the ideas and philosophy
of its predecessor. This was called postmodernism, and in turn it brought in the era of
contemporary art.
It is important to state from the start that postmodern art and contemporary art are not the
same.

LESSON FOCUS

Postmodernism was a reaction against modernism. It covers a Wide array of art that was
made in the 1970s and beyond. Postmodernism was brought about by the disillusionment and the
brutality of the Holocaust. Thus, the fragility of peace made people cynical about life and
subsequently about the purpose of art. Postmodernist artists believed that art is for everybody.
They believed that art should be inclusive and the meaning a viewer creates about the artwork is
as valid as the artist's. For Postmodern artists, the art is secondary to the concept behind the art.
Postmodernist artworks can be made out of anything. It sometimes incorporates
technology such as video, television, computers, and the internet. These artworks incorporate
various disciplines and also Come in a variety of forms and styles. Common examples of art
forms used in post- modern art are performance art, installation art, photorealism, and video art
among others.
Contemporary art on the other hand, is the art of the present. The contemporary period
started in the 1960s as some art movements such as pop art were starting to move away from the
aesthetics and ideology of the modern period. The transition became fully realized in the 1970s
with the rise of postmodernism. As mentioned postmodern and contemporary art are two
different terms. Postmodern art is a style and attitude that started in the 1970s and it has a fixed
length. While contemporary art refers to artworks made within a 50-year period from the present.
As of the moment, contemporary and postmodern art exist in the same time frame. So for
example, it is the year 3000, the contemporary period will now refer to artworks made from the
year 2050-3000.
Some of the important examples of postmodern and contemporary art forms and styles
are the following:

POP ART (1955-1970)

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Pop art was a movement that began in 1955. Its name was coined by a British curator
Lawrence Alloway. He used it to label an art movement that began to emerge in New York and
London that uses images from popular Culture and products.
Pop art is expressed by daring, Simple, everyday images from contemporary culture.
Common images used in pop art came from advertisements, packaging, comic strips, movie
stars, celebrities, etc. It used exciting and lively block colours that gives the artwork a trendy
vibe. It wanted art to be inclusive and relatable to its viewers.
It is considered to be one of the first postmodernist movement since it embodies the
principles of the movement that would largely develop during the 1970s. These principles
include that art should be easily understood, that art can be made of anything, and that the
concept behind the work is more important than the artwork itself. It also displayed
postmodernist tendencies in a way that it concerned itself with the impact, style, and medium
rather than a depiction of reality.
It also rejected the traditional values of modernism. It blurred the distinction between
high culture and low culture by using ordinary consumer products as subjects for their art, such
as the "Campbell Soup Cans" of Andy Warhol (1928-1987). And it focused on capturing
people's attention as with the bright imagery seen in Roy Lichtenstein's (1923-1997) comic strip
blow- ups and Claes Oldenburg's (b. 1929) large scale sculptures of familiar objects. Unlike
other art styles and movements, it connected to the critics and public alike. Pop art was and still
is one of the most recognizable and popular art style.

HAPPENING (1960s-present)
Happening was an avant-garde art form whose earliest shape developed from the Dada
movement in the early 20th century. In its earliest form, happenings were events where artists
come together and present spontaneous performances. It combines the elements of drama and
visual arts.
The first use of the term "happening" to call this type of performance art was in 1959 by
artist Allan Kaprow (b. 1927) in 1959. His first happening was held in an art gallery in New
York in 1959, entitled "Admission piece: Happenings in 6 Parts." It immersed the audience by
letting them move the objects in the exhibition hal1. The idea was to remove the difference
between life and art and the spontaneity that comes from the knowledge that they would be the
art.
Like pop art, it was one of the early examples of art forms that showed postmodern
tendencies such as the concept behind the work is prioritized rather than the finished piece. It

provokes and encourages a response from the viewers. Happenings are planned beforehand, but
are performed spontaneously. This spontaneity often catches the audience off-guard and their
reaction is made part of the art.
Happenings developed through the 1960s, but later decreased in the 1970s with the
emergence of performance art.

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MAPEH FOR TODAY’S
LEARNER
The New Grade 10
PERFORMANCE ART (early 1960s-present)
Happenings gave way to another similar art form called performance art. Performance
art is an art form where the artist makes use of himself and his live actions to express his art.
This art is often overly theatrical and its expressions can take on the form of intense acting and
movement not ordinarily accepted in the theatre. Performance art can be presented in any venue
as long as it is in front of a live audience.
Performance art often incorporates other mediums in their performance such as dance,
music, body contortion, Costume, etc. It can be spontaneous or rehearsed. It can be performed in
front of an intimate group or in front of a large public event.
Early incarnations of performance art can already be seen in oratorical performances of
the ancient Greeks. And in earlier art movements such as Abstract Expressionism, Dada, among
others. But perhaps the closest impetus was the Happenings in the 1960s. Performance art is
continually evolving as contemporary artists look for new and innovative ways often
incorporating technology to practice this form of art.

INSTALLATION ART (1960-present)


Installation art is a contemporary art form which involves the arrangement of objects in a
space. The product of that arrangement of space and objects is considered as the artwork. One of
the defining features of installation art is the way it allows the viewer to be "in" the artwork. The
viewer can move around and sometimes interact with the different components in the space or
with the space itself.
Some installations are not just visual, it can also involve the other senses such as touch,
sound, smell, and even taste. Installation art come in a wide variety of forms. It can be very
simple or elaborate. It can make use of different materials. Some are done in small enclosed
rooms while other are constructed in wide open spaces. Some installation art are designed for a
specific area while some can exhibited anywhere. The possibilities are endless, and it all depends
on the artist's ideas and objectives.

GRAFFITI ART (1970-present)


Graffiti art, also known as street art, is one of the more controversial of the contemporary
art forms. Some consider this art form as vandalism and is considered illegal in many cities.
Although this form of expression has existed even during the prehistoric times, the term usually
refers to the trend that started in the late 1960s, where city structures were vandalized/ decorated

with images using spray paints, markers, stencils, acrylics, etc. This public art is commonly done
on the sides of a building, billboards, walls, and public transports.
This art form emerged as urban protest erupted in Europe and America in the late 60s. In
Europe this began with the student protests in Paris and Berlin. While in America, it initially
associated with the hip hop culture of Philadelphia and soon spread to New York and other urban
cities. Graffiti art became an important example of contemporary art. Street artists said that they
used these graffiti to express and vent their frustration with life.

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MAPEH FOR TODAY’S
LEARNER
The New Grade 10
Many art galleries and museums have seen the artistic merit of the art form and has
exhibited these works in their galleries.
One of the most famous graffiti artist is the elusive Bar sky, His real identity is still
unknown, but his works have been seen in different parts of the world such as London, Los
Angeles, and Melbourne. He is known for his use of stenciled images to show his irreverent
humor, vivid imagery, and political beliefs. He is also a director with his film winning several
awards.

RECAP
 Postmodern art is an attitude and style in art covers a wide array of artworks made in the
1970s and beyond.
 Contemporary art is the art of the present. It covers the artworks made within a 50-year
period from the present.
 Pop art is an art movement that used commercial and popular references as subject for
art.
 Happenings is an avant-garde art form, it closely resembles performance art but is done
with the element of spontaneity. The idea of happenings was to remove the difference
between life and art and the spontaneity that comes from the knowledge that they would
be the art.
 Performance art is an art form where the artist makes use of himself and his live actions
to express his art.
 Installation art is a contemporary art form which involves the arrangement of objects in a
space.
 Graffiti art is a trend that started in the late 1960s, where city structures were
vandalized/decorated with images using spray paints, markers, stencils, acrylics, etc.

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MAPEH FOR TODAY’S
LEARNER
The New Grade 10

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
Canned Goods
Be like Andy Warhol For this project you will be creating an artwork that is inspired by
Andy Warhol’s “soup cans”. We will be creating a painting that features mass produced
products that we many of us enjoy, canned goods.
MATERIALS:
 Printout picture of a canned good at least the size of a long bond paper (8.5” x 13”)
 Carbon paper
 llustration board (10 x 20)
 Pencil
 Poster paints/acrylic paint
 Paint brushes
 Masking tape
PROCEDURE 1.
1. Print out an image of your favorite locally produced canned good. (It should be as big as
the bond paper)
2. Place your image at the center of the illustration board.
3. Tape the top part of the image to the illustration board to hold it in place.
4. Insert a piece of carbon paper under the picture.
5. Use your pencil and trace the outline and details of your canned good on to the
illustration board.
6. Occasionally check if you were able to copy the image completely.
7. Carefully remove the picture and carbon paper from the illustration board.
8. Now you can start painting the image.
9. Be sure that you reproduce the correct colors as that of the original.
10. Now you have your own pop art inspired by Andy Warhol's 'soup cans’.
11. Take a photo of your artwork and post it to your social media account.

Critique Your Work


Describe: What was the canned good that you used for your project?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Analyse: What were the components of the painting that make it resemble the real thing?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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MAPEH FOR TODAY’S
LEARNER
The New Grade 10

Interpret: Why did you choose this canned good? What is its importance?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Judge: Do you think you were successful in making an Andy Warhol inspired Pop art? Why or
why not?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

CULMINATING ACTIVITY
Create a visual timeline of the different art movements starting with Medieval Art to
Contemporary Art. Using pictures and images of the artworks that represent that period, style,
or movement create a history of art timeline.

REFLECTION
1. Based on the culminating activity, what did you learn?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

2. What can you say about postmodernism and contemporary arts?


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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MAPEH FOR TODAY’S
LEARNER
The New Grade 10

POST TEST

Identify the following questions. Write your answer before the number
______________1. This technology can capture images and save it in a digital form

______________2. What is DSLR a short term for?

______________3. He was important post-impressionist and a pioneer of expressionism

______________4. A Norwegian and print maker, one of his famous works is the SCREAM

______________5. He is considered to be the important bridge between impressionism and


cubism

______________6. This art style emulates how light changes with the time of day?

______________7. This art style depicts object in its basic geometric forms.

______________8. This art style is Pablo Picasso most known for?

______________9. This art style is said to have no rules.

______________10. This art style uses subject from prevalent culture and mass media.

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