Image Courtesy: https://mavink.com/explore/The-Scream-Edvard-Munch-Facts
If yes, you’re not alone. And the truth is, there is no single definition of modern art. The range of modern art is pretty vast. It can be emotional, intellectual, rebellious, or even playful. Many people say that modern art usually involves distortion, disfiguration, or the non-recognisability of a subject. And often, that’s true.
But then, we come across a painting like this one by Vincent van Gogh —Landscape with Ploughed Fields by Vincent Van Gogh
Image Courtesy: https://www.kalligone.com/landscape-with-ploughed-fields-by-vincent-van-gogh/
But why?
Because modern art isn’t only about what is painted, it’s about how it’s painted.
It’s about the artist’s approach:
– The way they treat the subject matter,
– The way they hold their brush,
– The way they apply paint to the surface.
These aspects of technique, texture, rhythm, and emotion can turn even the most recognizable scene into a modern masterpiece.
Sometimes, the silence in a painting speaks louder than a scream.
Modern art is not about copying what we see. It’s about expressing what we feel. It’s not a mirror to the outside world, It is a mirror to the inner self that is complex, contradictory, and constantly evolving.