Off the top of your head, you can probably name some of the most famous European, Medieval, and ancient artists. Names like Van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, and Protogenes conjure up images of religion, grand coronation, and historical feats. They marked their craft with sophisticated and mastered but clear and obvious messages.
But when the 19th century ushered in, the fame of medieval taste trickled down. In a deliberate timescale, gone are the days of masterful paintings where portrait and historical figures cramped the four sides of the canvas. Contemporary artists – today’s Da Vinci and Gogh – produce forms of art where subjects hide in the shadows of the material and the message lurks between the spaces. Some, with technological advancements, make their work stunning and otherworldly.
Although their works are taste-exclusive, meaning not all find them likable, their craft is meant to push the boundaries of art and challenge the restrictions of the status quo.
In this article, we name some of today’s most important visual contemporary artists. Their work is reinventing the medium of art while touching universal themes that are difficult to explain but easy enough to understand.