Contemporary Art
A modern movement in art that emerged in the second half of the 20th century
Contemporary art (from the English contemporary) is a general designation for numerous artistic trends, styles, and forms that emerged after the mid-20th century. Such art rejects traditional styles and techniques, emphasizing idea, process, interactivity, and experimentation. Here, concept matters, not just material or technique (plastic installations, digital art, performance, unusual materials).
Some of the masterpieces include Marcel Duchamp's inexplicable urinal or a banana taped to a wall at Art Basel. Shock value, irony, philosophy, and social criticism are distinctive features.
Interestingly, auction buyers sometimes argue where art ends and a joke begins: but this is precisely what makes contemporary art so exciting for collectors and viewers.