Contemporary Art Vs. Modern Art

Contemporary Art Vs. Modern Art

How to tell the difference

If you find yourself struggling to determine the difference between Contemporary and Modern art, here is a more simple  explanation.

Yayoi Kusamas Infinity Mirror Room

Traveling Through the Infinite

Infinity Mirrored Room- The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away, 2013 

Current Location of Installation: The BROAD Museum, Los Angeles California, 221 S Grand Avenue, 90012 

Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirror Rooms 

Artist: Yayoi Kusama, Japanese Contemporary Artist

Over the summer, I had the privilege of visiting the BROAD museum, located in Los Angeles, California. There they have a featured exhibit of Yayoi Kusamas Infinity mirror room installations. In order to actually see this exhibit since It is an intricate installation, it has to be seen by reservations only. I remember checking into the exhibit extremely excited to see and experience Kusamas art with my own eyes. It was five hour wait to get into the exhibit but the wait was very much worth it. I recently watched a documentary on Kusama and her art was very new but exciting to me. I was almost surprised that I did not know of her sooner. As you walk into this room as the viewer you are completely immersed in what feels like an outer body, otherworldly experience. This work really made it feel as if you were suspended somewhere in space in a world where time did not exist and it just continued on for infinity. The way the lights were placed and the layout of the mirrors really helped convey the mood of endlessness. I was in this exhibit with my aunt and my cousin whom do not know much about art but appreciate art with me. My aunt exclaimed how it made her feel very dizzy and uneasy. The Infinity Mirror room also had the affect on me but I found it very breathtaking and captivating. The minute I walked in tears filled my eyes at what I was experiencing. I remember not being able to speak from being in so much awe. I was really drawn to the colors of the vibrant lights. Kusamas art and overall intent with her art is most effective because the use of repetition that tricks the eye into thinking her world is an endless mass of lights going on for infinity. 

Personal Work and New Inspiration

Jean-Michel Basquiat 

Skull, 1981, 207x175 cm

      Lately as an artist I have been struggling with trying to evolve my personal style. My drawing professor had suggested I look to who inspires me to help me overcome the technical issues I am facing in my own artwork. As my artist inspiration, I have chosen the French neo- expressionist,  Jean Michel - Basquiat. Basquiat's variety of  markings  and language have really inspired me to incorporate a wider vocabulary of markings within my own personal work. Below is a sneak peak of one of my newest works titled, We See You. 

We See You,  Oil Pastel, Acrylic Paint on Paper, 2019, 48x60 in 

Across the Diagonal

Liz Stolhman 

 I was pleased to attend another solo student show  of  Sacramento State undergraduate , Liz Stolhman, February 7th, 2019,  located at the R.W. Witt Gallery. The exhibition titled, Across the Diagonal, features a variety of concept drawings and studies of the appreciation of country life. Many of Stollhmans works featured horse portraiture. I found it fascinating how the artist portrayed such an ordinary thing in an abstract way and also the way the artist included a vocabulary of unique markings throughout each specific piece. The artist used the technique of building up brushstrokes/ impasto- to convey a tactile accumulation and recording of time. The obscured forms are then transformed into obscured forms and then materialize from the paint. The horse acts as a vehicle, not only physically transporting the rider to another location; but also metaphorically hinting at the change in personal development. 

The term, " Across the Diagonal" is essentially  a reference to a horseback riding term meaning, "to ride along the diagonal lines of a rectangle arena." if one were to "cross the diagonal" - it means they typically change the direction in which they are moving. 

Untitled, 8x10,  2018

Threshold 

 Nathan V. Nguyen

          Nathan V. Nguyen is currently an undergraduate student at sac state, studying studio art. On February 11th, Nguyen had a reception at the R.W Witt gallery located at Sacramento State University;  titled, " Threshhold". This show consisted of a variety of abstract words ranging from painting to sculpture. I found it very pleasing how well the show was curated and how cohesive the works were. 

Nguyen also had a series of small block painted  sculptures that were interactive titled; Paint Block Pile. As a viewer and even as an artist it was a nice surprise to expect to see a two dimensional show but then be surprised with a mixture of sculpture and painting

Lygia Clark, Machine Animal (Bicho), 1962, 55x65

         What was even more interesting was the artists decision to make the sculpture interactive- make the viewer part of the artwork by giving them the power to change the image. It reminded me of the sculpture, Machine Animal, 1962 by Brazilian artist, Lgyia Clark. Despite the medium Clark uses - Aluminum; in comparison with the mediums that Nguyen is using; both artists have similar intent when it comes to disrupting the regular gallery experience and changing the role of the viewer to the creator. This technique used by the artist allows a new piece of artwork to be created each time a component of the existing piece is altered. For example, if I were to attempt to move a front block and reposition it to the back, the composition of the piece would be altered entirely. 

Painted Block Pile, Acrylic on Wood, 2018

Close up of Painted Block Pile