Contemporary Paintings, Modern Art, Abstract Paintings - What's this Difference?

This is a basic question, and a little confusing to answer because the terms "contemporary art, " "modern art, " and "abstract art" may be used interchangeably at times. Shall we start with "modern fine art. " Modern Art is a classification of an fine art period that started available 1870 by Impressionists like Claude Monet. It can be understood that modern artists are those that experimented with new methods for seeing, expressing new options and methods. But technically the modern art movement ended within the 1960's and 70's when the term "postmodern" started to be used and pop art became the new thing.

Abstract art is a style of painting a travel from reality and was definitely modern when. Abstraction in paintings began to make the scene right around the same time modern art became known because it is a painting style classified inside modern art movement. But full blown subjective paintings really started looking early 1900's in Europe by the likes of Pablo Picasso and others inside cubism movement. Abstract art actually was not created in America until the 1940's in the subjective expressionism movement with Jackson Pollock at the helm. Because abstract art is a style of painting not a classification of a skill period, abstract paintings are nevertheless being created today.

Which brings us to today. Right now we use the term "Contemporary Art" to define artwork to be created in our lifetime or in the current present moment. So any paintings being created today are contemporary paintings whatever the the style. What has happened is that people generally use "contemporary art" to describe artwork from the 1970's up to now. It is challenging, if not near impossible to define an occasion while we are require it. One may wonder, will we always use the word "contemporary" to illustrate the artwork being created in today's moment? Or will there be an end to the use of the word "contemporary" signifying an end of another artwork period very similarly to how "modern" was made use of. I don't know. But in every case, I hope this information has helped and not confused you much more.