A lot of pretentious crap is sold or hyped as modernist art. Charles Saatchi has donated his collection to the nation. I would have told him to keep his tat rather than expect the taxpayer to pay for its display and storage.

but modernism doesn't isnt that art today. modernism is the sort that comes from the 20's to around the 60's type art. cubism, futurism, constructivism... and probably died at pop art or minimalism. That 'modern' pretentious crap that comes out of art schools today sure is something else and would never give it the name 'modernist art'.
check out the de stijl movement for some nice furniture, bauhaus etc... not stinky Tracey Emmin

A good point, heikki.

To describe the saatchi collection as modernist would be to use the tem modernism incorectly. In its proper art history context that collection is contemporary.

OH I see there has been follow up posts allready.

modernism early 1900's to 1950's

very good points.

my pre-raphaelite comment wasn't rally a dig on said 'genre / scool', some of those paintings (like scapegoat) are really stunning.

i quite detest most contemporary art as very often it seems to be about shock value only (or 'art for art's sake aka. pseudo-clever 'quoting / refencing 7 commenting' of art of the past). i find intended shock value very boring.

Last edited by heikki k (2010-07-24 08:37:02)

back to modernism: what artists of said era really rock your boat? i'll begin my list with the obvious, abstract expressionsim, pollock, motherwell, de kooning, louis. adding a bit of rothko, francis bacon (wasn't really a modernist in the purest sense, was he, but i'm a great admirer nevertheless). used to be keen on pop art when younger but these days it leaves me a bit cold. always rated liechetnstein over warhol, any day. as for the beginning / origins of modernism, i find true innovators of abstract painting / art the most interesting, especially the russian avant garde, malevich, tatlin, gontcharova, kljun, rodtshenko etc.

as said before, i'm a big admirer of finnish modernist painters. don't now f--k all about british modernists though. guidance needed here.

Yes remember hitler feared moderism and shut down the bauhaus. Ahh what might have been.
on the other hand the futurists had facist leanings .my only gripe with the movement.
Jackson pollack,william burroughs,ornette coleman, frank lloyd wright..etc were not exactly received with open arms by the great genral public, or in some cases their own contemporarys.
Change is allways dealt with suspicion and fear.
A lot of contemporary art is still great. not all but then has it ever been? for those with a anti conceptual stance I suggest you look up the stuckist movenent . best nv