What is Modern Art?

Modern art refers to artistic works produced roughly between the 1860s and the 1970s. It marked a departure from traditional forms of art, embracing experimentation, abstraction, and a focus on the individual’s emotional response. The essence of modern art is innovation—whether in technique, subject matter, or approach.

Modern artists moved away from realistic depictions of the world and leaned into abstraction, surrealism, and other non-representational forms. This period was characterized by movements like Impressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism, all of which broke the norms of classical art and opened doors to new artistic expressions.