An Artist in the 21st Century
Twenty-first century art to me is innovative, daring, and often of mixed media. I also think of modern art when I think of art in this century. It makes sense, therefore, that the people who create modern art are themselves innovative, daring, and able to work with different media.
Though modern art isn’t my favorite, I can appreciate how relevant and current it is in our society. A modern artist takes advantage of the current events or climate of his or her environment in order to create an art work that is both thought provoking and innovative. I believe that an artist in the 21st century is aware of the world as he or she is experiencing it, and tries to make a commentary or statement about it.
The more I think about it, the subjects of art haven’t really changed in time; artists still choose to comment on society, poke fun at political leaders, create renderings of beautiful sights and people, and express emotions. What I think sets a modern artist from the artists of the past is their gall, their boldness, and their increased creativity using different media and locations. An example of this is David Ellis, who combines his paintings with musical accompaniment made from the actual materials he painted on in the first place. No longer is an artist bound to a canvas, a piece of clay, or a single instrument. A modern artist knows how to manipulate several different materials to create art that the audience can participate in.
