Contemporary art

At no time in the history of art has art been so eclectic, so confounding, so socially conscious, so self absorbed, so innovative, so esoteric, so present, so misunderstood. Art is simultaneously local and global. Media are propelling artists to worldwide fame. Great amounts of money are being spent on mounting large exhibitions. Great amounts of money are being spent worldwide on new museums of contemporary art and additions to existing buildings. contemporary works are going for astounding prices as wealthy collectors build significant collections. As more museums of contemporary art offer free admission, attendance increases.

Yet for most practicing professional artists it is a struggle to make a living. The gap between the struggling artist and the highly successful artist is much like that between the 1% and the 99%. Many people are clueless and suspicious of contemporary art. Art is trivialized in the school curriculum. the art of right now can be as distant as the art of the distant past.

There has been no time for contemporary art to become art history. It is hard to make coherent sense of and so hard to manage. But it is the art of our time, expressed with power, diversity, commitment and soul.