Devotional

God's Pattern
Scripture Reading — Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves … to fellowship …

Acts 2:42 —

Have you heard about the “virtual church”? It’s church experienced totally
through the internet. People worship by logging onto a website and watching the
worship service on their computer screen. They send in donations by credit card.
They participate in communion with the wine and bread near their keyboard. The
virtual church may be helpful for some people who can’t go outside or who have
no church in their area, but it is not the best choice if people use it to avoid
meeting with other Christians.

Today’s passage shows that when God calls a person to himself, he also calls that
person into a community of faith, the church. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit drew
people into belief in Christ and into fellowship with one another.

Many people today have lost sight of the pattern of community God intends for
the church. Pointing to failures in individual Christians or particular churches or
congregations, people often say they’ll take Jesus but not the church.

But God doesn’t call the church “the bride of Christ” for nothing (see Ephesians
5:25-32). In spite of its shortcomings, the church—its people and its institutions—
belongs to Jesus and is full of beauty!

Let’s explore some of that beauty together this month.

Prayer
Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see Jesus; We want to see the beauty of
what you are doing in your community, Christ body, his bride, your church.
In Jesus name, Amen.

Essential Question:
God’s pattern for us is to be like him. If you were to make an output based on your
personality, what would be the possible outcome?

Pre- Assessment

Identify the following paintings.

 Quarter I: MODERN ART

INTRODUCTION
In all of human history, art has mirrored life in the community, society, and the world in
all its colors, lines, shapes, and forms. The same has been true in the last two centuries,
with world events and global trends being reflected in the art movements. The decades
from 1900 to the present have seen the human race living in an ever-shrinking planet.
The 20th century saw a boom in the interchange of ideas, beliefs, values, and lifestyles
that continues to bring the citizens of the world closer together.

Technological breakthroughs
From the Industrial Revolution of the late 1800s, the world zoomed into the Electronic
Age in the mid-1900s, then into the present Cyberspace Age. In just over 100 years,
humans went from hand-cranked telephones to hands-free mobile phones, from the
first automobiles to inter-planetary space vehicles, from local radio broadcasting to
international news coverage via satellite, from vaccinations against polio and smallpox
to laser surgery.
Social, political, and environmental changes
There has been migration across the globe, allowing different cultures, languages, skills,
and even physical characteristics of different races to intermingle like never before. The
20th century also suffered through two World Wars, and several regional wars in Asia,
Africa, and the Middle East. There was the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the Asian
economic crisis of the 1990s. Considered the modern-day plague, AIDS has afflicted
millions the world over, while millions more continue to live in hunger, disease, and
poverty. Environmental destruction has also become a major concern

Effects on the world of art

The art movements of the late 19th century to the 20th century captured and expressed all
these and more. Specifically, these were the movements known as impressionism and
expressionism. While earlier periods of art had a quite set conventions as to the style,
technique, and treatment of their subjects, impressionists and expressionists conveyed
their ideas and feelings in bold, innovative ways. These were the exciting precursors of
the modern art of the 21st century.

Impressionism: Origins of the Movement

Impressionism was an art movement that emerged in the second half of the 19th
century among a group of Paris-based artists. The duration of the impressionist
movement itself was quite short, less than 20 years from 1872 to the mid-1880s. But it
had a tremendous impact and influence on the painting styles that followed, such as neo-
impressionism, post-impressionism, fauvism, and cubism—and even the artistic styles
and movements of today.

The name impressionism was coined from the title of a work by French painter
Claude Monet, Impression, soleil levant (in English, Impression, Sunrise).

Impression, Sunrise
Claude Monet, 1872
Oil on canvas
The term precisely captured what this group of artists sought to represent in their works:
the viewer’s momentary “impression” of an image. It was not intended to be clear or
precise, but more like a fleeting fragment of reality caught on canvas, sometimes in mid-
motion, at other times awkwardly positioned—just as it would be in real life.

The Influence of Delacroix

As with all emerging art movements, impressionism owed its inspiration to earlier
masters. One major influence was the work of French painter Eugène Delacroix.
Delacroix was greatly admired and emulated by the early impressionists—specifically for
his use of expressive brushstrokes, his emphasis on movement rather than on clarity of
form, and most of all his study of the optical effects of color.

In particular, Delacroix’s
painting, The Barque of Dante,
contained a then revolutionary
technique that would profoundly
influence the coming
impressionist movement. And it
involved something as simple as
droplets of water.

The Barque of Dante

Eugène Delacroix, 1822
Oil on canvas

The painting is loosely based on a fictional scene from Dante’s Inferno, showing Dante
and the poet Virgil crossing hell’s River Styx, while tormented souls struggle to climb
aboard their boat. It is the drops of water running down the bodies of these doomed souls
(see enlarged detail below) that are painted in a manner almost never used in Delacroix’s
time.

When studied closely, it is

seen that four different,
unmixed pigments—yellow,
green, red, and white—create
the image of each drop and its
shadow. Viewed from a little
distance, these colors blend to
represent individual drops
glistening with light. The
distinct colors merge in the
eye of the viewer to appear monochromatic (single-colored) or, in this case of water
droplets, colorless. In short, an impression is formed.

Putting this and similar principles into wider practice, future painters would carry French
art into one of its richest periods: impressionism.

Impressionism:
A Break from Past Painting Traditions
There were several areas in which impressionist artists moved away from the established
practices of art at that time. These involved their use of color, choice of subject matter
and setting, and technique for capturing light and conveying movement.

Color and Light

The painting conventions and techniques of earlier art periods were very much concerned
with line, form, and composition. In contrast, the impressionists painted with freely
brushed colors that conveyed more of a visual effect than a detailed rendering of the
subject. They used short “broken” strokes that were intentionally made visible to the
viewer. They also often placed pure unmixed colors side by side, rather than blended
smoothly or shaded. The result was a feeling of energy and intensity, as the colors
appeared to shift and move—again, just as they do in reality.

“Everyday” Subjects
Impressionists also began to break away from the creation of formally posed portraits and
grandiose depictions of mythical, literary, historical, or religious subjects. They ventured
into capturing scenes of life around them, household objects, landscapes and seascapes,
houses, cafes, and buildings. They presented ordinary people seemingly caught off-guard
doing everyday tasks, at work or at leisure, or doing nothing at all. And they were not
made to look beautiful or lifelike, as body parts could be distorted, and facial features
merely suggested by a few strokes of the brush.

Painting Outdoors
The location in which the impressionists painted was also different. Previously, still lifes,
portraits, and landscapes were usually painted inside a studio. However, the
impressionists found that they could best capture the ever-changing effects of light on
color by painting outdoors in natural light. This gave their works a freshness and
immediacy that was quite a change from the stiffer, heavier, more planned paintings
of earlier masters.
Open Composition
Impressionist painting also moved away from the formal, structured approach to placing
and positioning their subjects. They experimented with unusual visual angles, sizes of
objects that appeared out of proportion, off-center placement, and empty spaces on the
canvas.

The Influence of Photography

Photography was in its early stages at this time as well. As it gained popularity,
photography inspired impressionists to capture fleeting moments of action, whether in
landscapes or in the day-to-day lives of people. But whereas camera snapshots provided
objective, true-to-life images, the artists were able to offer a subjective view of their
subjects, expressing their personal perceptions rather than creating exact representations.
They also had the advantage of manipulating color, which photography at that time still
lacked.

Impressionism:
Works of Manet, Monet, and Renoir
By the 1870s, the stage was set for the emergence of the next major art movement in
Europe, impressionism. It started with a group of French painters—that included
Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir—and eventually spread to other
countries, such as Italy, Germany, and The Netherlands.

EDOUARD MANET

Edouard Manet (1832-1883) was one of the first 19th century artists to depict modern-
life subjects. He was a key figure in the transition from realism to impressionism, with a
number of his works considered as marking the birth of modern art.
 Argenteuil Rue Mosnier Decked With Flags
Edouard Manet, 1874 Edouard Manet, 1878
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas

Café Concert The Bar at the Folies-Bergere

Edouard Manet, 1878 Edouard Manet, 1882
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas
CLAUDE MONET

Claude Monet (1840-1926) was one of the founders of the impressionist movement
along with his friends Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Frédéric Bazille. He was the
most prominent of the group; and is considered the most influential figure in the
movement. Monet is best known for his landscape paintings, particularly those depicting
his beloved flower gardens and water lily ponds at his home in Giverny.

La Promenade The Red Boats, Argenteuil

Claude Monet, 1875 Claude Monet, 1875
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas

Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies Irises in Monet’s Garden

Claude Monet, 1899 Claude Monet, 1900
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas
AUGUSTE RENOIR
Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), along with Claude Monet, was one of the central figures
of the impressionist movement. His early works were snapshots of real life, full of
sparkling color and light. By the mid-1880s, however, Renoir broke away from the
impressionist movement to apply a more disciplined, formal technique to portraits of
actual people and figure paintings.

Dancer A Girl with a Watering Can

Auguste Renoir, 1874 Auguste Renoir, 1876
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas

Mlle Irene Cahen d’Anvers Luncheon of the Boating Party

Auguste Renoir, 1880 Auguste Renoir, 1881
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas
Post-Impressionism:
Works of Cezanne and Van Gogh
After the brief yet highly influential period of impressionism, an outgrowth movement
known as post-impressionism emerged. The European artists who were at the forefront
of this movement continued using the basic qualities of the impressionists before them—
the vivid colors, heavy brush strokes, and true-to-life subjects. However, they expanded
and experimented with these in bold new ways, like using a geometric approach,
fragmenting objects and distorting people’s faces and body parts, and applying colors
that were not necessarily realistic or natural.

Two of the foremost post-impressionists were Paul Cézanne and Vincent van Gogh.

PAUL CEZANNE

Paul Cézanne (1839–1906) was a French artist and post-impressionist painter. His work
exemplified the transition from late 19th-century impressionism to a new and radically
different world of art in the 20th century—paving the way for the next revolutionary art
movement known as expressionism.

Hortense Fiquet in a Striped Skirt Still Life with Compotier

Paul Cezanne, 1878 Paul Cezanne, 1879-1882
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas
Harlequin Boy in a Red Vest
Paul Cezanne, 1888-1890 Paul Cezanne, 1890
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas

VINCENT VAN GOGH

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) was a post-impressionist painter from The Netherlands.
His works were remarkable for their strong, heavy brush strokes, intense emotions, and
colors that appeared to almost pulsate with energy. Van Gogh’s striking style was to have
a far-reaching influence on 20th century art, with his works becoming among the most
recognized in the world.

Sheaves of Wheat in a Field The Sower

Vincent van Gogh, 1885 Vincent van Gogh, 1888
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas
Still Life: Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers Bedroom at Arles
Vincent van Gogh, 1888 Vincent van Gogh, 1888
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas

Starry Night Wheat Field with Cypresses

Vincent van Gogh, 1889 Vincent van Gogh, 1889
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas
Expressionism: A Bold New Movement
In the early 1900s, there arose in the Western art world a movement that came to be
known as expressionism. Expressionist artists created works with more emotional force,
rather than with realistic or natural images. To achieve this, they distorted outlines,
applied strong colors, and exaggerated forms. They worked more with their imagination
and feelings, rather than with what their eyes saw in the physical world.

Among the various styles that arose within the expressionist art movements were:
• neoprimitivism
• fauvism
• dadaism
• surrealism
• social realism

Neoprimitivism

Neoprimitivism was an art style that incorporated elements from the native arts of the
South Sea Islanders and the wood carvings of African tribes which suddenly became
popular at that time. Among the Western artists who adapted these elements was Amedeo
Modigliani, who used the oval faces and elongated shapes of African art in both his
sculptures and paintings.

Head Yellow Sweater

Amedeo Modigliani, c. 1913 Amedeo Modigliani, 1919
Stone Oil on canvas
Fauvism

Fauvism was a style that used bold, vibrant colors and visual distortions. Its name was
derived from les fauves (“wild beasts”), referring to the group of French expressionist
painters who painted in this style. Perhaps the most known among them was Henri
Matisse.

Woman with Hat

Henri Matisse,1905
Oil on canvas
Blue Window
Henri Matisse, 1911
Oil on canvas

Dadaism

Dadaism was a style characterized by dream fantasies, memory images, and visual tricks
and surprises—as in the paintings of Marc Chagall and Giorgio de Chirico below.
Although the works appeared playful, the movement arose from the pain that a group of
European artists felt after the suffering brought by World War I. Wishing to protest
against the civilization that had brought on such horrors, these artists rebelled against
established norms and authorities, and against the traditional styles in art. They chose the
child’s term for hobbyhorse, dada, to refer to their new “non-style.”
Melancholy and Mystery of a Street I and the Village
Giorgio de Chirico, 1914 Marc Chagall, 1911
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas

Surrealism

Surrealism was a style that depicted an illogical, subconscious dream world beyond the
logical, conscious, physical one. Its name came from the term “super realism,” with its
artworks clearly expressing a departure from reality—as though the artists were
dreaming, seeing illusions, or experiencing an altered mental state.

Persistence of Memory
Salvador Dali, 1931
Oil on canvas
Many surrealist works depicted morbid or gloomy subjects, as in those by Salvador Dali.
Others were quite playful and even humorous, such as those by Paul Klee and Joan Miro.

Diana Personages with Star

Paul Klee, 1932 Joan Miro, 1933
Oil on wood Oil on canvas

Social Realism
The movement known as social realism, expressed the artist’s role in social reform.
Here, artists used their works to protest against the
injustices, inequalities, immorality, and ugliness of the
human condition. In different periods of history, social
realists have addressed different issues: war, poverty,
corruption, industrial and environmental hazards, and
more—in the hope of raising people’s awareness and
pushing society to seek reforms.

Ben Shahn’s Miners’ Wives, for example, spoke out

against the hazardous conditions faced by coal miners,
after a tragic accident killed 111 workers in Illinois in
1947, leaving their wives and children in mourning.

Miners’ Wives
Ben Shahn, 1948
Egg tempera on board
Guernica
Pablo Picasso, 1937
Oil on canvas (Size: 11’ 5 1/2” x 25’ 5 3/4”)

Pablo Picasso’s Guernica has been recognized as the most monumental and
comprehensive statement of social realism against the brutality of war. Filling one wall
of
the Spanish Pavilion at the 1937 World’s Fair in Paris, it was Picasso’s outcry against
the German air raid of the town of Guernica in his native Spain.

Created in the mid-1900s, Guernica combined artistic elements developed in the earlier
decades with those still to come. It made use of the exaggeration, distortion, and shock
technique of expressionism. At the same time, it had elements of the emerging style that
would later be known as cubism.

Abstractionism
Another group of artistic styles emerged at the same time as the expressionist movement.
It had the same spirit of freedom of expression and openness that characterized life in the
20th century, but it differed from expressionism in certain ways. This group of styles was
known as abstractionism.

The abstractionist movement arose from the intellectual points of view in the 20th
century. In the world of science, physicists were formulating a new view of the universe,
which resulted in the concepts of space-time and relativity. This intellectualism was
reflected even in art. While expressionism was emotional, abstractionism was logical and
rational. It involved analyzing, detaching, selecting, and simplifying.
 In previous centuries, works of art were a reflection,
in one way or another, of the outside world. In 20th
century abstractionism, natural appearances became
unimportant. Artists reduced a scene into geometrical
shapes, patterns, lines, angles, textures and swirls of
color. The resulting works ranged from
representational abstractionism, depicting still
recognizable subjects (as in the artwork on the left),
to pure abstractionism, where no recognizable
subject could be discerned.

Oval Still Life (Le Violon)

Georges Braque, 1914
Oil on canvas

Grouped under abstractionism are the following art styles:

• cubism
• futurism
• mechanical style
• non objectivism

Cubism

The cubist style derived its name from the cube, a three-
dimensional geometric figure composed of strictly
measured lines, planes, and angles. Cubist artworks were,
therefore, a play of planes and angles on a flat surface.
Foremost among the cubists was Spanish painter/sculptor
Pablo Picasso (right).

In earlier styles, subjects were depicted in a three

dimensional manner, formed by light and shadow. In
contrast, the cubists analyzed their subjects’ basic
geometrical forms, and broke them up into a series of planes. Then they re-assembled
these planes, tilting and interlocking them in different ways.
Three Musicians Girl Before a Mirror (detail)
Pablo Picasso, 1921 Pablo Picasso, 1932
Oil on canvas Oil on canva

In addition, the art of the past centuries had depicted a scene from a single, stationary
point of view. In contrast, cubism took the contemporary view that things are actually
seen hastily in fragments and from different points of view at the same time. This was
reflected in the depiction of objects from more than one visual angle in the same painting
(e.g., the bull’s head in Picasso’s Guernica, page 207).

Human figures as well were often represented with facial features and body parts shown
both frontally and from a side angle at once. This gave a sense of imbalance and
misplacement that created immediate visual impact. It also gave cubism its characteristic
feeling of dynamism and energy. To this day, variations of cubism continue to appear in
many contemporary artworks.

Futurism

The movement known as futurism began in Italy in the early 1900s. As the name
implies, the futurists created art for a fast-paced, machine-propelled age. They admired
the motion, force, speed, and strength of mechanical forms. Thus, their works depicted
the dynamic sensation of all these—as can be seen in the works of Italian painter Gino
Severini.
 Armored Train
Gino Severini, 1915
Oil on canvas

Mechanical Style

As a result of the futurist movement, what became known as the mechanical style
emerged. In this style, basic forms such as planes, cones, spheres, and cylinders all fit
together precisely and neatly in their appointed places.

This can be seen in the works of

Fernand Léger. Mechanical
parts such as crankshafts,
cylinder blocks, and pistons are
brightened only by the use of
primary colors. Otherwise, they
are lifeless. Even human figures
are mere outlines, rendered
purposely without expression.

The City
Fernand Léger, 1919
Oil on canvas

Non objectivism

The logical geometrical conclusion of abstractionism came in the style known as non
objectivism. From the very term “non-object,” works in this style did not make use of
figures or even representations of figures. They did not refer to recognizable objects or
forms in the outside world.

Lines, shapes, and colors were used in a

cool, impersonal approach that aimed
for balance, unity, and stability. Colors were
mainly black, white, and the primaries (red,
yellow, and blue). Foremost among the
nonobjectivists was Dutch painter Piet
Mondrian.

New York City

Piet Mondrian, 1942
Oil on canvas

Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Op Art

World events in the mid-20th century immensely influenced the course of human life
and, with it, the course of art history. World War I (1913-1914) and World War II (1941-
1945), in particular, shifted the political, economic, and cultural world stage away from
Europe and on to the “New World” continent, America.

The New York School

In the 1920s and 1930s, aspiring young American painters, sculptors, and writers sailed
to Europe to expand their horizons. But during the dark days of World War II, a reverse
migration brought European scientists, architects, and artists to American shores. New
York, in particular, became a haven for the newly arrived artists and their American
counterparts.

The result was the establishment of what came to be known as “The New York
School”—as opposed to “The School of Paris” that had been very influential in Europe.
The daring young artists in this movement succeeded in creating their own synthesis of
Europe’s cubist and surrealist styles. Their style came to be known as abstract
expressionism.
Action Painting

One form of abstract expressionism was seen in the works of Jackson Pollock. These
were created through what came to be known as “action painting.”

Pollock worked on huge canvases spread on the floor, splattering, squirting, and
dribbling paint with (seemingly) no pre-planned pattern or design in mind. The total
effect is one of vitality, creativity, “energy made visible.” Pollock’s first one-man show
in New York in 1943 focused worldwide attention on abstract expressionism for the first
time.

Autumn Rhythm
Jackson Pollock, 1950
Oil on canvas
Color Field Painting

In contrast to the vigorous gestures of the action painters, another group of artists who
came to be known as “color field painters” used different color saturations (purity,
vividness, intensity) to create their desired effects. Some of their works were huge fields
of vibrant color—as in the paintings of Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman.

Magenta, Black, Green on Orange Vir Heroicus Sublimis

Mark Rothko, 1949 Barnett Newman, 1950-1951
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas

Others took the more intimate “pictograph” approach, filling the canvas with repeating
picture fragments or symbols—as in the works of Adolph Gottlieb and Lee Krasner.

Forgotten Dream Abstract No. 2

Adolph Gottlieb, 1946 Lee Krasner, 1948
Oil on canvas Oil on canvas
After “The New York School”

By the early 1960s, the momentum of The New York School slowed down. In its place, a
new crop of artists came on the scene using lighter treatment and flashes of humor, even
irreverence, in their artworks.

The movements they brought about have come to be called:

• neodadaism and pop art
• conceptual art
• op art
• the new realism

Neodadaism, Pop Art, Op Art

Like the dadaist movement that arose after World War I, the neodadaism of the 1960s
wanted to make reforms in traditional values. It also made use of commonplace, trivial,
even nonsensical objects. But unlike the angry, serious tone of the original dadaists, the
neodadaists seemed to enjoy nonsense for its own sake and simply wanted to laugh at the
world.

Their works ranged from paintings, to posters, to collages, to three-dimensional

“assemblages” and installations. These made use of easily recognizable objects and
images from the emerging consumer society—as in the prints of Andy Warhol. Their
inspirations were the celebrities, advertisements, billboards, and comic strips that were
becoming commonplace at that time. Hence the term pop (from “popular”) art emerged.

Twelve Cars Marilyn Monroe

Andy Warhol, 1962 Andy Warhol, 1967
Art print Silkscreen print
Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) was an American pop artist. During the 1960s, along with
Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, and James Rosenquist among others, he became a leading
figure in this new art movement.

Whaam!
Roy Lichtenstein, 1963
Acrylic and oil on canvas

In the Car
Roy Lichtenstein, 1963

Conceptual Art

As the term implies, conceptual art was that which arose in the mind of the artist, took
concrete form for a time, and then disappeared (unless it was captured in photo or film
documentation). Conceptualists questioned the idea of art as objects to be bought and
sold. Instead, they brought their artistic ideas to life temporarily, using such unusual
materials as grease, blocks of ice, food, even just plain dirt.
A key difference between a conceptual artwork and a traditional painting or sculpture is
that the conceptualist’s work often requires little or no physical craftsmanship. Much of
the artist’s time and effort goes into the concept or idea behind the work, with the actual
execution then being relatively quick and simple. An example is this conceptual art piece
by Kosuth.

One and Three Chairs

Joseph Kosuth, 1965
An actual chair (center), with a photograph of the same chair
and an enlarged copy of a dictionary definition of a chair

Op Art

Another movement that emerged in the 1960s

was optical art or “op art.” This was yet
another experiment in visual experience—a form
of “action painting,” with the action taking place
in the viewer’s eye. In op art, lines, spaces, and
colors were precisely planned and positioned to
give the illusion of movement.

Current
Bridget Riley, 1964
Synthetic polymer paint on composition board
As the eye moved over different segments of the image, perfectly stable components
appeared to shift back and forth, sometimes faster, sometimes slower as the brain
responded to the optical data. Viewers experienced sensations varying from discomfort to
disorientation to giddiness.

Contemporary Arts Forms:

Installation Art and Performance Art
The 20th century also saw the rise of new art forms aside from the traditional ones of
painting and sculpture. Among these were installation art and performance art.
Installation art makes use of space and materials in truly innovative ways, while
performance art makes use of the human body, facial expressions, gestures, and sounds.
Both speak powerfully about contemporary issues, challenging their viewers to respond.

Installation Art

Installation art is a contemporary art form that uses sculptural materials and other media
to modify the way the viewer experiences a particular space. Usually life size or
sometimes even larger, installation art is not necessarily confined to gallery spaces. It can
be constructed or positioned in everyday public or private spaces, both indoor and
outdoor.

Cordillera Labyrinth
Roberto Villanueva, 1989
Bamboo and runo grass
Outdoor installation at the Cultural Center of the Philippines
 Pasyon at Rebolusyon
Santiago Bose, 1989
Mixed media installation

Go to Room 117
Sid Gomez Hildawa, 1990
Mixed media installation
Four Masks
Edgar Talusan Fernandez, 1991
Outdoor installation

Materials used in today’s installation art range from everyday items and natural materials
to new media such as video, sound, performance, and computers.

It may be said that primitive forms of this art have existed since prehistoric times.
However, this genre was not regarded as a distinct category until the mid-20th century
and only came to prominence in the 1970s. The installation artist’s manipulation of space
and materials has also been called “environmental art,” “project art,” and “temporary
art.”

Essentially, installation art creates an entire sensory experience for the viewer. Many
installations are of a size and structure that the viewer can actually walk through
them, and experience varying facets of the work in stages. Some works allow the
viewer to touch or feel, hear, and smell elements that the artist has incorporated in the
installation. Thus, there is a strong parallel between installation art and theater. Both
play to an “audience” that is expected to interact with and be affected by the sensory
experience that surrounds them.

Performance Art

Performance art is a form of modern art in which the actions of an individual or a group
at a particular place and in a particular time constitute the work. It can happen anywhere,
at any time, or for any length of time. It can be any situation that involves four basic
elements:
• time
• space
• the performer’s body
• a relationship between performer and audience

In performance art, the performer

himself or herself is the artist.

Performance art does include such activities as theater, dance, music, mime, juggling,
and gymnastics. However, the term is usually reserved for more unexpected, avantgarde,
and unorthodox activities intended to capture the audience’s attention. The
performer himself or herself is the artist, rather than an actor playing a character as in
a stage play.

The performance venue may range from an art gallery or museum to a theater, café,
bar, or street corner. The performance itself rarely follows a traditional story line or plot.
It might be a series of intimate gestures, a grand theatrical act, or the performer
remaining totally still. It may last for just a few minutes or extend for several hours. It
may be based on a written script or spontaneously improvised as the performance
unfolds.