Western Painting - Late Modernism - A Post War Exponent of Contemporary Art

Late Modernism - The Concept1913-67), Robert Morris (US, 1965), Tony Smith
The years during which Late Modernism was(US, 1939), Sol Lewitt (US, 1928-2007), Robert
effective, spanned between the period afterSmithson (US, 1938-73), Larry Bell (US, 1939), Dan
World War II and the early twenty-first century.Flavin (US, 1933-96), Carl Andre (US, 1935),
This form of art was said to be a reaction againstRobert Mangold (US, 1937), and Ronald Bladen
radicalism and an experimentalism of the Modern(Canadian-American, 1918-88).
Art. However, the opinion remains divided on theThe Correlations
'individuality' of Late Modernism, which retains theMinimalism did not confine itself to the domain of
conceptual identity of Modernism and is only apainting, and found expression through sculptures,
phase in the broader eon of Modern Art, asas well. Frank Stella was among the lead
believed by some schools of thought. Anotherproponents of Minimalism in sculpturing. Color Field
closely related term is Post Modernism, whichand Abstract Expressionism are regarded as the
arguably rests on the premise that art cannot beother founding stones of Late Modernism. The
innovative or forward-looking as opposed totwo genres had certain overlap in the terms of
Modernism. Nevertheless, the boundaries remainartists, whereby several Abstract Expressionists
blurred.became the pioneers and ardent supporters of
The DetailsColor Field. Abstract Expressionism was that sect
An easy recognition of the works in Lateof painting with which, the likes of Jackson Pollock,
Modernism is their relatively unambiguousWassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Jane Frank, Barnett
representations and comprehensibility. Minimalism,Newman, Arshile Gorky, Hans Hofmann, Franz
characterized by most simplistic forms, isKline, Clyfford Still, were identified. Jackson
regarded a Late Modernist genre.Pollock's 'No. 5' (1948), Helen Frankenthaler's
The Artists and the Artworks'Mountains and Sea' (1952), and Barnett Newman's
Richard Tuttle's (US, 1941) 1967 piece 'Red'Onement 1' (1948) are some of the legendary
Canvas' is a classic case of simplification in Lateframes of Abstract Expressionism. Color Field is
Modernism. This frame features an irregularalso a branch of Abstract Art, where underlying
octagon in reddish-brown color against a lightsimplicity of executions is made expressive by
background. Similarly, Kazimir Malevich's (Russian -the interplay of vibrant colors. 'Beginning' by
1879-1935) 1913 work of oil on canvas titled,Kenneth Noland, created in 1958, is one of the
'Black Square' is another design in plain geometricmost prized pieces of Color Field painting. Similar is
shape. The fragmented color grid, known as'Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue?' a 1966
'Composition No. 10' is yet another Minimalisticframe by Barnett Newman.
example, by Piet Mondrian (Dutch, 1872-1944).Conclusion
The best-known contributors to Late Modernism,No matter whether a consensus on the
through Minimalism, include Frank Stella (US, 1936),classification of Late Modernism is achieved or
Agnes Martin (Canadian-American, 1912-2004),not, its remarkable contribution to Contemporary
Donald Judd (US, 1928-94), Ad Reinhardt (US,Art scene cannot be denied.