Contemporary Art?It might seem surprising how different kinds of people, from assorted backgrounds and enthusiastic about very diverse forms of art, agree on the point that, at the beginning of the last century, art reached its ultimate peak, after which, an inexorable decline began.
Not everybody shares this view, of course. Some argue that art was at its best in other past ages and, even more people, think that still nowadays authentic masterpieces are produced. Thus, the question arises, with music and cinema being examples which are considered accessible forms of art, is it possible to compare modern electronic dance music to the old jazz bands or the new wave of Asian/Oriental cinema to the Italian or French productions between the 50s to the early 70s?
The last century was, in fact, a truly revolutionary one. In USA African drums met classical music and instruments to create jazz. In Paris Debussy, influenced by a concert of Bali musicians, gave birth to contemporary music, and cinema was just a new thing, a brand new instrument that art made as own soon. Those were unique conditions that started the melting-pot process that led to the world we have nowadays. Today creating‘art’ is easier. Information, inspiration, and just ‘art’ itself are much more accessible, the consequences might be an inevitable lack of ‘intensity’ or, in other words, buzz of excitement.
In these days we are overwhelmed with art but, perhaps, making an effort to understand art in the past, its context and the past itself, may led us to appreciate more a modern production even without labelling it a masterpiece.
By Vittorio Giovine, August 2008
Image credit: Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art, http://www.e-architect.co.uk
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