what makes art contemporary?

 One definition of contemporary art is that it is art created by an artist that is living, now, in this time.  I suppose that makes all art 'contemporary' during the time in which is it or was created.  But then how do you describe it after it's not timely or fresh or new?

'Modern' would be another word that seems wrapped up with those same ideas, but again, what are the time constraints for something to be modern?  And then what does it become?


The DAG/Student U mentor pairs took a field trip yesterday to the Contemporary Art Museum in Raleigh (CAM).  I had been once before, but one of the galleries was essentially closed, hanging a new exhibit, and the other had some funky, found object, interactive sculptures with music and light.  I wasn't overly impressed with that exhibit, my friends at the www.scrapexchange.org  could have come up with more interesting pieces (I am biased).

The exhibits we saw yesterday were interesting.  The one in the photos above, in the lower gallery, were mainly black and white drawings on paper, very reminiscent of MC Escher with optical tricks and cartoonish figures.  Some were extremely intricate, others bolder in their presentation.  The artist had also created these linear patterns on the floor with tape which appealed to me the most, and as you walked into the gallery space, YOU were immediately part of the canvas.  He was there at the time, giving a gallery talk, and I asked him about the floor; whether he figured out the math ahead or what was his planning process.  He bravely admitted that he just started in one spot and kept going.  He said there were some mistakes, and that he had strategically placed a few smallish sculptures over the really bad spots.  I immediately warmed to that information, and the courage it took to admit it to the group who were listening.  I think contemporary art has to be bold and brash, it takes a lot of gumption to decide to cover a museum floor in tape (with mistakes) and force the viewers of your wall pieces to be part of a canvas.

 The artist in the upper gallery had made some scientific machines, one captured a single drop of water and kept it suspended on a gentle breeze, he also had a tornado machine that could whip around some paint dots, and make a painting.  Then again, he stacked up some mdf boards using prime number configurations and called it a bench.  And boiled up Evian water and put the sediment in a glass etched with the mountain range from which it came.....

I think most contemporary art must ask the viewer in some way whether they think what is being presented is art (or not).  I have a pretty broad acceptance, how about you?