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Far not every person could expect that the turn of the century would introduce as many changes to the world and the world of art as we can observe these days. With ever-expanding globalisation, the introduction of the Internet in almost every corner of the globe, the recent developments in the fields of social media and the anti-social pandemic, the world is changing at an unprecedented rate; so fast that we are all already used to meeting entirely new concepts at a daily rate.
The changes in the global (as opposed to communal) consciousness can be clearly observed in contemporary art. While some critics point out that even the arts have been reduced to hot spots and stats, templates to follow for a sure-way success, it remains true that some independent developments can be seen as well. While some shriek at the amount of perversion on the streets and social networks, others paint a world of their own and set the foundation for more fundamental, potential changes.
The World of Art of the Early 21st Century
The introduction of social media, the Internet, and the fact that everybody has a camera in their pocket have paved the way to two streams that can be observed in photography: perversion and voicing.
“The concept of “perversion” refers to the devaluation of overall goals, values, and attitudes in our society, and we can see it every day, everywhere. A good example of this is the difference in the way we used to travel ten years ago and how we do it nowadays. For instance, what used to be a trip to Paris for the sake of Paris has now turned into a trip to Paris for social status and social media rankings. We experience places through the lens of our phone’s camera and ignore what’s in front of our eyes to give attention to the “likes” and comments on our social media posts.” Aabhas Vijay, art collector, Founder LittleLittleSteps.co
However, on the other hand, that same technology that absorbs us also makes it possible for all of us to express our artistic personalities, thus democratising creativity and allowing it to flourish and reach all corners of the globe. In the same way, it also gives voice to minorities and all those unheard ones, helping them speak their minds through their creations and exhibiting them in front of global audiences. What used to be a matter of luck and good connections within the art world, has now turned into mastering the tricks of online exposure and ranking.
There are also changes and challenges that have not been seen before as one strives to move the world forward. It is about finding something new to display. It has always been difficult for students dealing with journalism or creative writing, yet the lack of new forms of arts and the constant perversion of existing ideas has made it essential to seek changes and set the new trends.
Current Trends in Art
Probably the biggest development in the art field that you could observe is the relational art of the 21st century. This art form demands the observer to somehow interfere with the art object itself and evoke some reaction. For example, there is Alice Cooper Crystal (1973), which has been inspired by Dali’s approach to perspective. Without a doubt, it plays an essential role as it reveals new dimensions and plays with the refractions of light.
Photo by Kimon Maritz on Unsplash
Where Will the Art World Go
Online Art
As the Art Market Confidence is growing, so is its online presence. The recent purchases of NFT files for millions of dollars’ usher in a new age in art, where the object the artist has created can be digital in form, thus challenging the value and relevance of the original piece in itself. According to Lena Petrovic, a researcher in the field of Postmodernism, a critic and literature alumni believes that art is meant to remain the news for people, and thus it becomes always relevant. This seems to hold true as testified by the Nyan Cat NFT, which was sold to a user identified only by a cryptocurrency wallet number for a whopping $580,000.
Virtual Performance Art
Many art forms have already moved to and are likely to stay online. YouTube has been hosting music videos for almost two decades and evolved to also streaming live, full concerts, movies, and one-time events. Still, it makes it difficult for artists to follow the virtual requirements of arts, which is why they tend to create new trends by adding lyric videos or sharing their art with the background music or voice-overs. It helps to set new challenges, yet creative personalities from all over the world often set new trends in arts even without realizing it first!
Collective Spirit Amongst the Pandemic
Lockdown months were long and arduous. Total isolation for some and physical separation from loved ones for most of us, presented a real challenge both for the individual and collective psyche. In those times, the online world showed off as the one and only key not only to keep ourselves entertained and carrying on with our jobs from home, but also as the only way to maintain the connection with people.
But the pandemic and its lockdown also gave us time to stop and reflect on our lives and our ways; the way we were living up to that moment and the world how we knew it suddenly shifted 180º in front of our eyes. Just like any other crisis in history, this one also sharpened the mind of some who used their isolation time creatively and wisely such as NYC based photographer, Dasha Dare, who developed her project, All Is One, as a way to “comprehend and digest what was going on in our world suddenly paralysed by a virus”, based on the premise that “we are all part of a greater whole that unites us, regardless of how different we may be and how far apart we may appear.”
Eco-Art
Another prominent stream in the art world nowadays is eco-consciousness, which dwells with issues such as climate change and pollution to awaken global awareness and call for action. It often aims to show the woes of being helpless as there are no physical actors or certain places portrayed by the artists. The purpose is to show nature “as is” via allegories and metaphors by providing people with hints. At the same time, it shows being overwhelmed by one’s inability to make a major difference.
Multilingual Art
Globalisation and the mixture of various cultures and artists have influenced the birth of this art form. As they are coming from all the possible social backgrounds, it creates a special “boiling pot” that bridges the cultural gap and ensures that linguistic qualities can be used to maintain a deeper connection. Sometimes an art form can include poetry and displays of political slogans of the wartime periods or social conflicts. As a rule, it requires additional research that always takes time. Even if one has to work with a description of an art piece, it is important to reference every point and do things right without losing the identity of the original language. As it is a form of cooperation, it also helps to set new trends as artists unite their skills and creative passions regardless of the language they use.
Surrealism Will Expand
The forced flow of information in the digital age easily motivates people to turn to abstract notions to avoid censorship and to express their feelings in a more mystical way. The purpose of modern surrealism is to expand and provide an even greater scope on both positive and negative processes in our society. Influenced by 3D art and artificial intelligence, modern artists have not abandoned Dali’s classic concepts as they present complex and fresh ideas to the general public. As an example, “Whoops!” by John Lanchester is a clear portrayal of the ever-changing world we live in with all the puzzles that are yet to be solved. The use of technology without ignorance of the old-time classics shows that artists are ready to meet the unexpected and dwell on new horizons.
The Renaissance of an Individual
The 21st century sees the second wave of the Renaissance, triggered this time by the need for empowerment of an individual that takes the world and the system around as antagonists with numbing and disempowering influences. A good example of this trend can be found in the article, My Way of Revolution: Art as an Antidote to Numbing, featured on The Zine, which revolves around the power of art as a way to express and claim that need for independence and recognition by an awakened and aware individual who despite it all, may not be powerful enough to fight back.
Final Considerations
In the past 20 years, the world has spun around a few times and changed at a pace unseen ever before. Considering we live in tumultuous times with a global pandemic striking, humanitarian crisis scattered all throughout the world, and an extremely compromised environmental balance, amongst others, we can only expect to keep witnessing the world change, sine díe.
The art will move forward and evolve all the time as the plethora of different information, social media artists, and global access to ideas inspires people to offer something unique and seek those artistic endeavors that have not been tried before. Starting with surrealism with the help of AI-based solutions to multimedia creations that combine art, cinematography, music, and visuals, the art will constantly evolve.
While most changes may seem like temporary fads, it’s beyond doubt that society and the art world go hand in hand expanding their creativity and depicting a clearer picture of the world and the place an individual has in it. In a way, we are still on the pilgrimage from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and similarly to the series of poems comprising it, our story is yet to be finished.
BIO
As a content writer, researcher, Nicole has a soft spot for arts and creativity. Her posts explore innovations in the field of art as she discovers interesting ideas and provides helpful tips. When she is not busy providing academic assistance at cheap writing service, she is happily visiting the world’s museums and art exhibitions. An artist at heart, Nicole likes to share her skills and knowledge by inspiring people and helping them learn differently.
