The way I see Modern and Contemporary Art

To me modern art seems to be on a quest to develop a universal language of art. Rather than relying on religious symbolism of most historic art. Modern art often uses science as well as everyday folklore of the artist life. Developing a universal visual language is extremely challenging and ever-changing and its influences. What art is and what it means in each culture around the world is different. Traditionally most art advertises and reinforces the control of a ruler or of a deity. The more abstract art becomes and the more foreign it is from anything else the more it can be understood on a more equal level by everyone. That’s why people become so frustrated when trying to view it without an understanding of the cultural experiences of the artist. What might be symbolic for one culture to mean one thing could mean something entirely different to another. For instance white in Western European culture often means purity or goodness while in Asia white often is symbolic of death. Contemporary art is often an expression of the way the artist views the world chaotic and random or clean and streamlined. It can be looking to the past, it can have its eye on the future, and often times does both simultaneously. I personally have different views about the different types of art that I make. When I make clothing while I do think about the aesthetic appeal my primary concern is functioning comfort. However whenever I am constructing a sculpture I often view it as a metaphor for life. If things start to fall apart I don’t allow myself the option to start over because in life you can’t start over you have to work with what you’ve been given until you make something of it. I can change things but I can’t undo what has been done I can only move forward. At first my sculptures start as chaotic and I try to make since of the chaos the same way I deal with life.