Rationale and Impact of Art Movements

Title: Understanding the Rationale and Impact of Art Movements

Identifying the Rationale Behind Art Movements

• An art movement is a collective term for artworks that share common artistic ideals, styles, techniques or philosophies.
• Factors that typically give rise to new art movements include changes in socio-political landscapes, accelerated by revolutions, wars, and technological advancements.
• Artists often form collective movements to challenge prevailing norms and conventions in art. For example, the Impressionists outrightly rejected the grandiose subject matter and polished finish of the Classical style, instead focusing on ordinary subjects and loose brushwork.
• The rationale behind each art movement varies greatly and may be driven by theoretical, aesthetic or ideological factors.

The Impact of Art Movements

• Art movements represent significant shifts in visual culture, introducing new perspectives, techniques and ideas that challenge and redefine art’s purpose and form.
• The impact of an art movement often extends beyond the art world and into everyday life, influencing architecture, fashion, film, and other media. The sleek geometries of Cubism, for instance, heavily influenced the architecture and design movement, Art Deco.
• Art movements can also reflect or shape the societal attitudes of their time. For instance, the Feminist Art Movement of the 1970s pushed for gender equality not just in art, but in broader society, advocating for women’s rights in multiple arenas.
• Notably, the evolution of art movements doesn’t necessarily follow a linear or progressive trajectory; sometimes, movements emerge simultaneously yet separately, or develop in reaction against one another, such as Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art.

Analysing the Rationale and Impact of Art Movements

• Studying art movements within their broader historical and cultural contexts assists in understanding both their genesis and impact.
• Consider the societal events and changes happening during the emergence of an art movement. Did a specific event inspire its creation? Did the movement reflect or resist existing societal norms?
• To understand the impact of an art movement, scrutinise how it breaks from or builds upon its predecessors. What new perspectives, techniques or subject matter did it introduce?
• Reflect on the legacy of the movement: how did it inspire or influence subsequent art movements, artistic practice, or wider culture?
• Recognise that each art movement is complex and multi-dimensional, containing a diversity of voices, aims and styles. Not all artwork from a period or movement will strictly adhere to its commonly defined characteristics.