In the context of modernism, or modern art, contemporary art encompasses a period beginning roughly around 1950 and continues to this day. One could argue that all artworks created today should be considered contemporary, but the phrase is merely a reference to a flavor of late modern art. Describing contemporary art in a few sentences is impossible, as the number of movements, styles and trends is huge, not to mention the number of artists involved. Some of the more notable styles in no particular order are Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Fluxus, Tachisme, COBRA, Young British Artists, Arte Povera, and the list could continue forever, as this is an ongoing phenomenon.

Needless to say, this trend is not exclusively visual, it’s an interdisciplinary phenomenon that connects musicians, film makers, artists, writers and scientists and their works in an ensemble of thought and critique that goes beyond galleries, museums and theaters, and connects ideas so important for progress. The number of artists involved in the phenomenon is huge, I could mention a few, again, in no particular order, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Joseph Beuys, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst, Levi van Veluw, and again, the list could go on indefinitely.

Contemporary art is by no means a monolithic phenomenon, it’s an heterogenous construction with eternal, passionate debates as to the nature of art, divergent, distinctive values and opinions and people of various backgrounds creating original artworks very different in nature and spirit, all falling under this large umbrella of “contemporary art”. Ever since art has escaped the domestication imposed by patronage by the church or statesmen, and humanity stepped into the modern world, art has become a means of expression and a weapon, dismantling and demolishing old ideas and replacing them with new ones.

Regardless of whether we admit it or not, all people have a love-hate relationship with contemporary art. Some love certain parts, while being indifferent or disliking others, or simply dismiss all the progress of the last century in visual arts, but there’s nowhere to hide. I once read and article about a writer who made it his life’s mission to prove Cy Twombly was a bad artist and his work was worthless, only to end up being one of his strongest supporters. Ultimately, art is about passion, and one can’t disprove passion.