how is art now exhibited?
When the context of art had altered into creating a new era known as Contemporary Art, it commenced a changing ripple effect throughout the art world. The definition of art had changed immensely, and with it, various aspects of its process and presentation. The presentation of art is traditionally and historically known to exhibit in galleries. Galleries, also known as the artistic institutions that populate the world, are buildings owned by the wealthy, hosted by the educated, and reviewed by the critics. In simple terms, art galleries were and to this day, still is, the defined presented form of art. Famous galleries such as The Louvre, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Saatchi Gallery, and The Art Gallery of NSW, are some of the many galleries that presented and restricted art. Art that was not hung, pinned, or placed in museums such as these, were not considered artworks. Artworks that were denied definition also striped their owners of the title 'artists' and were socially rejected as a whole. With today’s current state of the art world and its progression of Contemporary Art however, this did not seem plausible. Many artists, audience members, and even critics asked how Installations could be restricted in galleries? And how it was practical and not demeaning to restrict performance art? Even street art, perhaps? If restricting it of its presentation was worth restricting it of its concept? Clearly and obviously, it wasn’t.
Contemporary art had moved on and revolutionised, and forcefully, so did the art world. Contemporary art had taken a major toll on advancing technologies and used the Internet and media to assist its progressive alterations. Art that was defined by their artists and the audience, and even art that didn’t need a definition, was being expressed outside of galleries. Art was now being vastly exhibited on the Internet. Social media websites such as Instagram, Facebook, Blogs, Tumblr and Pinterest, were just some of the various pages that redefined art. As Contemporary Art is rapidly spreading throughout the world at a faster rate than ever, so had its use with technology. Personalised websites were now being made, displaying artworks independently, and social media was and still is, accumulating at a new high, reaching media headlines with the same popularity as the artists confined in galleries.
Contemporary art had moved on and revolutionised, and forcefully, so did the art world. Contemporary art had taken a major toll on advancing technologies and used the Internet and media to assist its progressive alterations. Art that was defined by their artists and the audience, and even art that didn’t need a definition, was being expressed outside of galleries. Art was now being vastly exhibited on the Internet. Social media websites such as Instagram, Facebook, Blogs, Tumblr and Pinterest, were just some of the various pages that redefined art. As Contemporary Art is rapidly spreading throughout the world at a faster rate than ever, so had its use with technology. Personalised websites were now being made, displaying artworks independently, and social media was and still is, accumulating at a new high, reaching media headlines with the same popularity as the artists confined in galleries.
If anything is clear from this movement, it’s that Contemporary Art was rapid, new, and based itself on innovation. Contemporary Art equipped itself to technology and expanded itself immensely, but also, began branching out to forms of Street Art and Body Art. Street Art, commonly known as the graffiti that plastered the walls of buildings, redefined art by being outside of galleries instead of inside. Street Art, graffiti, and independent drawings on the street (e.g. The CBD), are just a few of the categories that made Contemporary Art as popular and prestigious as the framed works in galleries. Body Art, also commonly referred to as tattoos, was also an expanding category that helped redefined Contemporary Art. Art that was being placed on skin instead of canvases was an explosive alteration. The idea that art was being made and presented on a living organism as oppose to an immanent object was nearly offensive. It completely turned Contemporary Art into an era that would be interchangeable.
Nonetheless, Contemporary Art is still being exhibited in galleries. These redefinitions and changes progressed art into a new direction but loyally, did not lose its roots.