Mid-Century Modern Art

When you think of mid-century modern, what images come to mind?  Retro inspired patterns?  50’s inspired interiors, bright pop colors and cool cars?  Well, there is a lot more to it than that.  In fact, mid-century modern art is such a huge topic that it is impossible to sum it up in one blog post! Instead, we’ll talk about some of the iconic images of mid-century modern art and how you can include it in your home.  Through all the eras, art was more than just about the “pretty”.  Art has always been to some point, a statement and reaction to what’s going on in the world at specific times.  It can be a political statement, a description of the attitudes of the general public, or simply just personal expression of thought.  Not to get too philosophical here but art can be some heavy stuff!  So on a lighter note, let’s take a look at some of the pieces that we have come to recognize and love from the mid-century.

A famous artist whose work has been seen everywhere and has inspired a movie in his namesake, Jackson Pollock exemplifies gestural abstraction.  His paintings consist of drips and splatters that are energetic due to his working methods.  Slinging and hurling, dripping and pouring, Jackson created amazing fields of art on canvas right on his studio floor.  His work truly focused on the creative process more so than a “subject”.   His pieces are now very mainstream and prints and reproductions are everywhere!  Not many of us can afford the originals, but you can have your own Jackson Pollack print simply by visiting online on such places as art.com or gallerydirect.com.  Not limited by the look of a cheap poster, you can also opt to giclee print on canvas for a original looking recreation of one of Jackson’s fabulous pieces.

If you want to try your hand at creating a Pollock inspired piece, click here on this fun site and just use your mouse to create a “Pollock” of your own!

We can’t talk about mid-century art and not mention Mark Rothko.  I have to admit when I first saw prints and pictures of his works in books I didn’t get it.  I wondered “What is all the hype about blocks of color?”.  Well let’s just say that I was quickly educated when I saw some of his pieces in person.  His use of color and the sense that the pieces glow with depth made me a believer and that I hadn’t known what I was talking about.  Again, as an abstract expressionist, instead of referencing anything specific, his pieces were based on the idea of the “spirit of myth” which he believed was the true meaning of art.  His pieces although simple by way of composition, were brilliant examples of the intelligent use of color.  They truly are visual experiences and the colors shimmer when lit correctly.  This is the experience I had when I first saw his work in person.  Rothko felt that color was a doorway to other places and could express basic emotions.  I encourage you to check out Rothko exhibits as they come to your area and you will see “what all the hype about blocks of color” is about.  Again, Rothko can be in your home through the great thing called poster prints.  Click here to see all the options available in print.

And although there were numerous additional movements going on at this time such as minimalism, performance art, sculptural art, conceptual art and others, as you might imagine people started to tire of all the abstraction art and experimentation that was prevalent.  Pop art brought back all the imagery, symbols, figures that abstract art avoided but that the public still loved.  All about embracing pop culture, consumerism, and mass media, this type of art was more accessible to people and of course easier understood.  This also makes it now probably the most recognized and  widely appealing art from the mid-century period.

If you have not heard of Andy Warhol, well, I just don’t know what to say.  His iconic imagery of Marilyn Monroe, Coca Cola, Campbells Soup, and a ton of other everyday items and celebrities made him one of the most popular artists of his time and even now.  Although he was a very popular participant in the pop art movement, he was not the first to create art in this style.  And unlike other formal artists, Warhol used silkscreen on canvas as his medium.  His “machine made” art created controversy and accusations that he wasn’t a real artist because anybody could do what he did.  But it wasn’t so much the technique that was original but his shocking and in-your-face subject matter that created his fame.

If you like the bright colors and graphic aesthetic of pop art, it’s attainable due to its extreme popularity.  Click here for a ton of print options.

And if you’re feeling creative, making your own mid-century inspired art can be a fun alternative to prints and a terrific custom DIY to add this era to your space.  Using fabric stretched canvases is always a quick, easy and inexpensive way to add custom art to your space.  Alluminare has amazing mid-century inspired patterns that you can customize by color and scale to create exactly the look you are going for.  Create a collection like the three I show below in a coordinated color palette for a statement art trio:

Share your mid-century modern art ideas or favorite artists.  We would love to hear about them!

{Image Credits: art.com, theindependent.co.uk, about.com, allposters.com, Alluminare}

{Text Reference: “Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, Eleventh Edition” }

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