LESSON 2:

SUBJECT MATTER
AND STYLE IN
C

CONTEMPORARY
ART
Subject matter in contemporary art is not confined to
representation of human figures and landscapes. The favorite
subjects in contemporary art are children, women, or the
environment, such as Juan Alcazaren’s Flora and Fauna. It can
also be a combination of any of these. In some artworks, the
subject matter is the technique itself. In others, such as those in
conceptual art, the viewer has to engage in thinking and
exploring the meaning of the artwork. Some artworks are
intended to make a statement about an issue so the viewer is
guided by a written explanation.
In Plet Bolipata’s Cat Dolls, the
subject matter combines human
figure and cat head. The artist
constructed a human skeleton
made of wires and covered it with
textile. The cat head is made of
resin. Several of these are found in
front of her house to serve as
“guards”.
Sam Penaso’s Metalscape is
an abstraction using metal.
This is an example of
contemporary art style.
There were art movements and styles that dominated
contemporary art style. There were art movements
and styles that dominated contemporary art through
the decades since 1950s. These are abstract
expressionism, kinetic art, Op art, performance art
environmental art, feminist art, post-minimalism,
video art, graffiti art, postmodern art, and digital art.
Abstract Expressionism is a painting
style in which the artist applies paint in a
manner that expresses emotions and
feelings in a spontaneous way. The figures
may be heavy in lines and color without
solid mass.
Kinetic Art is a sculpture that
moves with the wind or is
powered by a machine or
electricity.
Op art uses lines or images repeatedly to create an optical
illusion.
Performance art
combines a variety of
media and the human body
to execute an artistic
theatrical expression before
a live audience.
Environment art involves the artistic creation or
manipulation of space such as landscapes or
architectural design that may enclose its audience.
Earthworks, or art using stones, leaves, grass, or
other natural elements are included in this category.
Feminist art emerged from concerns of female artists
expressed through art. They tackle issues of identity, sexuality,
gender roles, and the ways in which the female is treated in
society, among others.
Minimalism had a stripped-down, pre-fabricated look, free of
details and often with flat surface but expresses a specific
content or statement. An example is electric wire emerging from
the wall that coils to form a particular shape.
Video art consists of images
that are recorded through a
video and viewed through
television, computer, or
projection screen.
Graffiti art is a drawing, inscription or sketch done hastily on a
wall or other surface made to be seen by the public.
Postmodern art carries modern
styles to extreme practices, often
expressing an idea through a mix
of materials such as found objects
welded together.
Body art is an art form that uses the body as the medium or main
material. It can be painted or clothed and used to perform artistic
act in public. Tattooing and piercing are example of body art.
Digital art is done with the aid of
computer to create an image or design
composed of bits and bytes. The image
can be printed on paper, tarpaulin, or
other mediums.
Some art styles progress through the decades and
have influenced artists throughout the globe while
some are short-lived and are confined to a group of
locality. As such, some styles cannot be confined to
one particular decade. Below is a list of some of the
art movements and styles grouped by the decades
they are known to have flourished.