Contemporary and Historical Environments

Contemporary environments refer to modern day contexts and settings in which creative art, craft and design thrive. This can include galleries, design studios, outdoor spaces, digital platforms, and community spaces among others.
Historical environments refer to past settings and scenarios where art, craft and design have originated from or been inspired by. Examples include ancient empires, the Renaissance, industrial era, etc.
Understanding the influence of contemporary environment in your own work: Such understanding will typically come from engaging with current trends, contemporary artists, designers and craftspeople, visiting exhibitions, reading contemporary art literature, and being aware of issues and themes that are prevalent in today’s society.
Various factors such as societies, cultures, politics, religions and advances in technology play a significant role in shaping contemporary and historical environments, and hence, influence the practises, styles, themes and trends in art, craft and design.
Appreciation of the impact of historical environments on art, craft and design: A comprehensive understanding of the historical contexts of various art movements, trends and styles will help you appreciate and interpret the works of different periods, and may inform your own practise.
By exploring historical and contemporary environments, you can develop the ability to think critically about the role and value of art, craft and design in past and present societies.
It’s also important to comprehend how contemporary environments will become the historical contexts for future generations. This comprehension provides an opportunity to explore how current artwork will be interpreted in the future.
The intersection of contemporary and historical environments can stimulate creative ideas and can allow for inventive reuse and reinterpretation of past ideas in a modern context.
Remember to make connections between similar themes, styles, techniques, materials and practises in the art, craft and design from contemporary and historical environments.
Having a firm grasp of the main movements in ancient art history can add depth and context to understanding of more recent and contemporary works. For example, understanding the principles behind Renaissance art can help give insight into subsequent Neo-classical and Romantic movements.
Developing a keen observational skill set can help you identify the influence of environments in your own and others’ work. This will also provide varied possibilities for effectively conveying messages, ideas or a sense of place through your work.