Late Modernism - The Concept The years during which Late Modernism was effective, spanned between the period after World War II and the early twenty-first century.
This form of art was said to be a reaction against radicalism and an experimentalism of the Modern Art.
However, the opinion remains divided on the 'individuality' of Late Modernism, which retains the conceptual identity of Modernism and is only a phase in the broader eon of Modern Art, as believed by some schools of thought.
Another closely related term is Post Modernism, which arguably rests on the premise that art cannot be innovative or forward-looking as opposed to Modernism.
Nevertheless, the boundaries remain blurred.
The Details An easy recognition of the works in Late Modernism is their relatively unambiguous representations and comprehensibility.
Minimalism, characterized by most simplistic forms, is regarded a Late Modernist genre.
The Artists and the Artworks Richard Tuttle's (US, 1941) 1967 piece 'Red Canvas' is a classic case of simplification in Late Modernism.
This frame features an irregular octagon in reddish-brown color against a light background.
Similarly, Kazimir Malevich's (Russian - 1879-1935) 1913 work of oil on canvas titled, 'Black Square' is another design in plain geometric shape.
The fragmented color grid, known as 'Composition No.
10' is yet another Minimalistic example, by Piet Mondrian (Dutch, 1872-1944).
The best-known contributors to Late Modernism, through Minimalism, include Frank Stella (US, 1936), Agnes Martin (Canadian-American, 1912-2004), Donald Judd (US, 1928-94), Ad Reinhardt (US, 1913-67), Robert Morris (US, 1965), Tony Smith (US, 1939), Sol Lewitt (US, 1928-2007), Robert Smithson (US, 1938-73), Larry Bell (US, 1939), Dan Flavin (US, 1933-96), Carl Andre (US, 1935), Robert Mangold (US, 1937), and Ronald Bladen (Canadian-American, 1918-88).
The Correlations Minimalism did not confine itself to the domain of painting, and found expression through sculptures, as well.
Frank Stella was among the lead proponents of Minimalism in sculpturing.
Color Field and Abstract Expressionism are regarded as the other founding stones of Late Modernism.
The two genres had certain overlap in the terms of artists, whereby several Abstract Expressionists became the pioneers and ardent supporters of Color Field.
Abstract Expressionism was that sect of painting with which, the likes of Jackson Pollock, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Jane Frank, Barnett Newman, Arshile Gorky, Hans Hofmann, Franz Kline, Clyfford Still, were identified.
Jackson Pollock's 'No.
5' (1948), Helen Frankenthaler's 'Mountains and Sea' (1952), and Barnett Newman's 'Onement 1' (1948) are some of the legendary frames of Abstract Expressionism.
Color Field is also a branch of Abstract Art, where underlying simplicity of executions is made expressive by the interplay of vibrant colors.
'Beginning' by Kenneth Noland, created in 1958, is one of the most prized pieces of Color Field painting.
Similar is 'Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue?' a 1966 frame by Barnett Newman.
Conclusion No matter whether a consensus on the classification of Late Modernism is achieved or not, its remarkable contribution to Contemporary Art scene cannot be denied.