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Contemporary Artists Tackling Global Issues
Contemporary artists address various issues of global interest through their art. Examining through the lens of modern art reveals a deep-lying quest and explanation to issues that pertains the human population. Topics ranging from environmental degradation, Urbanization and homelessness are addressed by the artists to drive across a message that can inspire change in the mindset of people. `Artists major on different thematic body of works in an extensive body of knowledge around particular aspects of information.
Kerry James Marshall is an artist that has positioned his art within the discourse of blackness in contemporary art. His work is placed in black history to express the aspect of blackness to critically address the issue of blackness and their marginalization. He has used various arts to challenge marginalization. He best makes use of paintings and drawings. He notes that his work is mainly rooted in life experiences. His vast knowledge of art history is depicted in his works.
Jimmie Durham is another contemporary artist who continues to elicit tones of emotions in the art world. He knows very well that art can be activism and vice versa. He uses his art and paintings to influence a change in mindset in the society. Through the art, various prejudices are tackled that affect humanity in general. Of most important concern is western prejudice which has taken root in the lives of people. Most significantly known as a compelling and inventive visual artist with veins of an activist, he tackles many common place issues in the most compelling way. Most of his earlier artistic pieces sought to bring visibility to artists of color in America. His most important concerns were racism and apartheid. His manifestation of art is He is very attentive to form and to make of material choices. He often blends humor that greatly defies and disrupt the mainstream in addition to providing a portal through which troubled people can enter when faced with difficulties. By blending historical perspectives in his work, he succeeds in disrupting historical notions of authenticity and the boundaries that tend to hold people in their comfort zones.
Street Artists
Roa
Roa is a talented Belgian Street artist From Ghent and is most widely known for his giant black and white animal street. He originally started off in the street originally painting in abandoned buildings in the most isolated places of Ghent. Up to today, his art is found in buildings which stand out in the city streets all over the world. The most prominent cities which his art stands are the cities of New York, Legia Warsaw, and Berlin. Additionally, he has visited the city of London on some occasions to leave his mark. His art has an impactful experience visual wise. He draws his art in such a way that he juxtaposes the nature into the environment of the city to bring about an experience that incorporates different perspectives. The way the street art stands out shows that he dedicates a lot of time to the art to paint. Additionally, since his art is painted on the streets of big towns, it means that he has to seek permission from the councils. His most works stand the test of time without destruction.
Lonac is a Croatian Street artist from the town of Zagreb who has gained public acclaim due to his fantastic spraying techniques. The nature of his art portrays an artist who is interested in the realistic aspects of the art. He is an artist that has maintained his style for a long time. He has been influenced greatly by the classical nature of portraying art thus maintaining his uniqueness in the face of change. Over time, he has ensured that he changes his art with respect to the changing times. He has a unique way of combining the art of embellishing reality while maintaining a poetic sense. Lonac notes that his experiences influence his art. Therefore when painting his art, he maintains and draws inspiration from his memories in addition to blending his passions with everyday observations that have a striking resemblance to reality. Most often, he works on projects independently without depending on the help of anyone. Some of his pieces of art are however illegal in the general sense. The works of Lonac are spread all over the world in different places like Italy, USA, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Great Britain. His biggest mural to date has been that depicting a young boy and girl sitting on a bench incorporating butterflies in the painting to show how they fall in love. The mural is titled “I lost my shoe when I saw you.” It has been his biggest street art to date.
2.CH25
Better Homes Better Gardens
Undoubtedly, Kerry James Marshall is a renowned artist of this generation. All his paintings communicate individual messages hinged on his identity; African American. Marshall was born in 1955 in Alabama. Being born an African American, Marshall faced a lot of challenges and struggles related to race. Despite all the hurdles Marshall conquered and established himself as a painter, a passionate painter.
Better Homes Better Gardens is one of such beautiful paintings. In this picture, Kerry James Marshall explicitly packages the message of an idyllic place. Marshall appreciates the public housing project in his art; Better Homes Better Gardens is a painting representing the Wentworth Gardens in Chicago. From that picture itself, one is made to visualize the perfection and pleasant environment.
Moreover, Kerry James Marshall having grown up in the time of Civil Rights Movement and Black Power exhibits great love for the theme of blacks. In the painting, Better Homes Better Gardens, the artist explicitly brings out his idea, and the people in the painting are black. This choice is not a mistake but was intentional to show the essence of fighting for rights of African Americans and appreciating his identity.
Also, Marshall in his painting, Better Homes Better Gardens, has brightened the blacks. In the painting, we see two people; a man and a woman. Seemingly, the people in the painting are a couple. The couple is happy with the look of things, they are holding hands and are closer together with smiles on their faces. The happy couple, black in identity shows that family happiness is a necessity and the blacks also were part and parcel of the United States, they were legitimate natives who deserved to be treated well like their white counterparts.
Finally, the painting, Better Homes Better Gardens is a vision of a project that represented a utopian notion. From the well-trimmed grass compound to the state of the art structure, all were a sign of a beautiful building project. Marshall, a passionate artist whose art does not fall short in exhibiting the same. The painting, Better Homes Better Gardens is a romantic memory of a project. The art itself gives the Wentworth Gardens in Chicago plaudits and tells the world how idyllic the place looks.
Influence of Globalism on Contemporary Art
The inauguration of the 21st century marked the new era full of change. In this new time, people are more proactive and are adopting a worldwide view of things. The need to go global has been necessitated by many factors ranging from customer preference and acceptance of other cultures is some part of the world. Art has also been carried by this dynamism wind. The art of the century has a tremendous difference from that of the ancient world. This difference is necessary because now we have a different audience being targeted from that of the past.
Apart from that, globalism has influenced modern music. There has been a significant change of taste. Therefore, genres of music have slightly borrowed from others to make it more modern. For instance, there’s a significant change in modern Rock music from that of the seventies and the eighties. Country music has also had some upgrades compared to that of the near past. We are beholden to accept the changes and walk the season. Yes, walk the season in embracing change for change is inevitable and has got enough steel to be resilient to when it pleases.
Also, globalism has influenced modern art because of the present issues of the century. The themes of this century are different from those faced in the forties. For instance, we had the pre-independence and post-independence times in Africa. In such a time the issues that were very common are issues to do with prejudice. Prejudice based on race was the very common. The Holocaust was also a significant event, in the Holocaust, the Jews were targeted. So it is undebatable that in such moments of strife and humanitarian crisis such themes dominated the art.
That aside, globalism has influenced the taste of customers. In the recent past, customers were not attracted to products of styles from abroad. Local art was seen to be without substitute, unlike in modern world where people are not limited by boundaries. Change in taste is supported by the freedom which is treasured in the contemporary world. In a nutshell, globalism has had a positive influence in modern art as the themes addressed are leaning to the most contemporary issues like terrorism, nuclear weapons, cancer just to name but a few issues of our generation.
Art Changing History
Titus Kephar is an artist who makes beautiful paintings and sculptures that relate to the struggles of the past while speaking. About history, artworks interact closely with the history through appropriating its styles and as well as its mediums. Titus Kaphar has always been fascinated by history; mostly the art history, the American history, the world history and also individual history. He kept imagining how history is always written, recorded, interfered with or exploited. Titus Kephar grew in a family that was always very strict on him. They needed him to work hard in a field that he was not perfect on. He tried his best to go through what his parents needed more his father who was very close to him. Titus Kephar loved museums so much compared to any other beautiful thing. This happened so because of his talent on the art field. He could spend most of his time in the museums just to look and observe how the arts and sculptures were made and use more knowledge on that to make most beautiful paintings. Titus Kephar did all he could to perfect his field of art. He was determined to make a bright future from that art painting and sculpture making. Painting changed Titus Kaphar’s life in a series of ways. The area of interaction was strengthened very much that he could now interact with prominent people worldwide who he never dreamt of. He created many friends who were eager to know how he made such beautiful things in the world. His dad who always thought of the work of art as a second option for his son was finally convinced that it was the best area of performance for his son Titus Kaphar. Many of us may think that things done relating to art and painting seem minor which is very false. Everything we do in life goes hand in hand with determination and passion. Titus Kephar had a passion which he perfected on hence making him a successful man despite all the challenges that he went through the whole of his life. In our lives, we need to shift our focus in the right way not just fixing our minds on the same thing which will eventually hinder our success.
Alyssa Monks
Alyssa Monks was born in the year 1977.She is a widely known painter who specializes in large oil paintings. Her pieces include figures obscured by water, steam, and vinyl.Most Alyssa’s figures revolve around bathrooms and tubs. Alyssa’s paintings are a unique blend of abstraction and realistic, showing her talent for delivering the vulnerability of the human experience. After watching Alyssa’s video and listened to how she made it, I felt so touched and encouraged. Alyssa monks were born in a family that had many children hence it was challenging for her parents to satisfy their basic needs fully. She tried all that she could to achieve her dreams of becoming a painter. Her mother was always on her side and ensured that she attended all the classes for each day. Alyssa’s painting is so unique and has a sense of reality due to the sources she uses to do her painting work. She uses semi-transparent filters of glass, vinyl, steam, and water to make her paintings look natural and real. She is a painter with passion since she can do her best in every art she does. She always made painting her game of the day to perfect on it hence her skills were built. Alyssa Monk’s painting became her source of income. Her life and that of her family too changed after that, after it became the only source of income generation. She was able to pay rent for her own house and also fully satisfy her basic needs. The story of Alyssa Monk reminded me of my life when I was growing up.IN my family we were so many hence it was so difficult for our parents to satisfy our needs even the basic ones entirely. I always struggled with life day in day out. Things got worse when my father died of a mysterious disease. I knew my life could not be the same. Since what has already happened cannot be reversed, I committed myself and lived moved on after a big struggle in life. Hope, determination, and focus made me successful. This feeling can be shared in the work of art. This is because, in any dream of achieving something in life, one has to undergo challenges, but they should not hinder him to succeed. One should be hopeful, determined and ready to accomplish no matter the circumstances.
