Damien Hirst, Broken Dream (detail), 2008
The 21st century has opened up a wide array of possible media in which artists can work, and most artists today dabble in multiple media. The current state of art emphasizes radical thought, experimentation, and creative expression, but the forms that takes are as varied as the people who are making it.
There are two forefathers I would like to point out who have made the current state of art possible.
- Marcel Duchamp, who with his statement, Fountain, reminded us that art should not be mindlessly consumed but instead provoke thought and dialogue.
and
- Andy Warhol, who was the first artist to make a successful business out of his own brand. Warhol reminded us that art does not have to be only for a rich elite, and he knew the power of collaboration (Warhol worked with other artists, musicians (The Velvet Underground) and fashion designers, created album covers, designed wallpaper, made films, produced a magazine (Interview magazine, still in publication), and had a television show on MTV, among many other things – none of which were possible without collaboration).
We can view celebrity artist Damien Hirst, currently the richest artist in the world, to be a descendent of the Andy Warhol brand of artist - Hirst uses subject matter everyone can relate to, relies strongly on the power of collaboration, and he sure knows how to run a business (such as this collaboration with fashion designer Alexander McQueen)
It is impossible to provide a full overview of contemporary art, but here are some links to "set the stage."
