5) Define the art of this time_2010

What name would you give it?

Nicolas Bourriaud would call it “Altermodernism.” This is the closest title that I have come across that I would ascribe to, assuming that there is a new movement afoot.

When did it begin? How did it begin?

This movement, if it exists, began in 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell and the world began to experience greater communication between its largest entities, both nations and trade. There was also a show (whose name I will insert when remembered/found) that featured contemporary artists from both industrialized nations and non-industrialized nations. This is important because traditional art (often considered craft) was displayed with “high” art. In a way this act symbolized the end of defined movements, which would be a current trend. The 1990’s were also important in the spread of this movement by creating greater information/communication channels.

What are the main principles associated with this Movement?

This movement is largely postmodernism from a global perspective. It is the acceptance of anything as art and the merging of different fields of study. Any person’s experience and background is authentic and each is a product of their environment. Borders are becoming more vague and cultures are merging to create a global view, oppose to a localized one.

Who are the main artists/critics associated with it nd what is the aesthetic character of the Art of today?

Three of the main critics/theorists are Nicolas Bourriud, Hal Foster, and Eleanor Heartney. Some artists include: Mel Chin, Andrea Zittel, Tara Donovan, Walead Beshty, Marcus Coates, Olivia Plender, Seth Price, Yes Men, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Rirkrit Tiravanij, Olaf Breuning, and (again) many more. The aesthetic character is, like post-modernism, vague. There is less of a coherent link to the past and more of a vague understanding of the world now. There is a connection to culture, but not an understanding of its history. It is also generally characterized by the mixing of media to the point that there is only a loose connection to a traditional label. This could include breaking the barriers to the extent that a label could be changed to one outside of art (for example science or design).