Art Movements

Study major art movements and their influence

Major Art Movements

Art movements are periods when many artists shared similar ideas and styles. Impressionism (1870s) captured light. Cubism (1900s) showed multiple viewpoints. Pop Art (1960s) used popular culture. Each movement reacted against what came before and reflected its society.

Example

Key Art Movements

• Impressionism (Monet): light, colour, outdoor scenes • Expressionism (Kirchner): emotion through distorted forms • Cubism (Picasso): multiple viewpoints at once • Surrealism (Dalí): dreams and the subconscious • Pop Art (Warhol): consumer culture, mass media • Contemporary African Art: identity, politics, tradition/modernity SA artists work across many movements and create unique African expressions.

Note

Remember

Art movements didn't happen in isolation — they were responses to social, political and technological changes. African and SA art has its own rich history that doesn't always fit European movement labels. Contemporary SA artists (Kentridge, Muholi, Hlobo) are globally recognised.

Key Vocabulary

Art movementA period when artists shared similar styles and ideas

ImpressionismArt movement capturing light and atmosphere with visible brushstrokes

Contemporary artArt made in the present time period

Avant-gardeArt that is experimental and pushes boundaries

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Art movement

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