Modern art is often confused with contemporary art. However, they are two completely different movements. Modern art is an art movement that emerged in the middle of the 19th century and was intended to be a break with classical art. Modern art lasted until the 1970s and went through different expressions. Here are its greatest representatives.
The stars of surrealism: Salvador Dali and Frida Kahlo
The Spanish artist Salvador Dali is considered by many to be the greatest artist of modern art. His works are considered to be among the most important of the surrealism movement. Surrealism is about rejecting realism and objectivity, and freeing the mind and imagination from the barriers imposed by realism. But beyond his works (The Great Masturbator, Swans Reflected as Elephants, The Persistence of Memory) he is also known for his self-paranoid methods.
Considered the greatest female painter of all time, Frida Kahlo was inspired by a car accident in the 1920s and the 35 operations she had to undergo in her works. Her works are often characterised by the presence of physical and psychological injuries.
The one and only Jackson Pollock
The master of abstract expressionism is unequivocally the American Jackson Pollock. It is a movement that consists of expressing great emotions through abstraction. Abstract Expressionism was one of the first American movements to gain international popularity. It is characterised by a unique technique of pouring and dripping paint instead of carefully applying it.
Jackson Pollock was the ambassador of this movement before his tragic and untimely death in 1956. His works, the most popular of which is the famous "Number 5", not only introduced the world to a new face of art, but also included the process of creation in the final result.
Frenchmen Henri Matisse and Claude Monet
Henri Matisse is recognised as one of the founding fathers of modern art. Although he worked in sculpture, but also in collage, he is best known for his paintings. In his later years, he created an art form that mixes collage and painting. These works are considered to be the most beautiful he ever created. The movement in which he excelled was Fauvism. A movement of using colours in unnatural circumstances.
How can we talk about French artists without mentioning the great Claude Monet? The most popular work of this impressionist artist is undoubtedly his "Water Lilies" series. Considered the greatest French painter, he is also the founding father of Impressionism. It is an art form that seeks to capture and recreate light and is defined by the use of vivid colours.