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Contemporary art is a blanket term to include all western art movements since the 1950s. Tattoos simulating any of these post-WWII styles is considered “contemporary art.”

Contemporary, or “of the moment” art, encompasses any creative expression from generations who are still alive. In some English-speaking communities, the word “modern” and “contemporary” are interchangeable, sometimes causing confusion. In art history, the Modern Art movement began in the late 1800s and concluded around the 1960s. There is some overlap, but Contemporary Art is still differentiated from Modern.

Strong and popular movements within the Contemporary period include, but are in no way limited to: Abstract, Expressionism, Pop Art, Realism, Surrealism and Postmodernism.

Post-WWII generations in the west tend to develop a voice for the individual that openly expresses tension with government and societal institutions. In capitalist countries, the often lower-income creative career can be viewed as an invalid way to contribute to society. This creates an ongoing conflict between art and industry or art and celebrity.

New media inventions and the establishment of the internet have also played a part in the delivery method of contemporary art. Computer-generated and digital video art, for example, have never been seen before in the history of humanity. Art can now also “go viral” in an international capacity, giving artists the ability to have an audience without funding from a benefactor or institution. New media has influenced every type of artistic craft, and tattoos are no exception. The spread of ideas has never been so instantaneous, and the line between independent art and corporate consumerism has never been more blurred.