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The Cultured Breakdown: Defining “Contemporary” Arts

The Cultured Breakdown: Defining “Contemporary” Arts

Introducing The Breakdown

In The Cultured Podcast’s new capsule series The Breakdown, it’s just you and Michelle as she digs at the roots of individual topics in the vast world of arts and culture. These bite-sized episodes bring listeners one step closer to becoming Cultured connoisseurs by uncovering the rich history and fascinating facts of a given subject.

What are contemporary art and contemporary dance? With Michelle Khouri

In The Cultured Podcast’s new series The Breakdown, it’s just you and Michelle as she digs at the roots of individual topics in the vast world of arts and culture. These bite-sized episodes bring listeners one step closer to becoming Cultured connoisseurs by uncovering the rich history and fascinating facts of a given subject.

On this Breakdown, Michelle delves into what the word “contemporary” actually means in the worlds of visual arts and dance. She uncovers the origins of the contemporary spirit and how its unrestrained form breaks from tradition, both on the canvas and through the body.

Michelle distinguishes between modernism and the contemporary movement as she notes contemporary art’s ability to shapeshift endlessly. Her spotlight on this genre gives texture and background to the work of previous Cultured guests Juel D. Lane, the contemporary dancer featured in Episode 13, and Tami Katz-Freiman, the contemporary art curator featured in Episode 14.

Learn more about the contemporary movement:

Art History: What is Contemporary Art? (MyModernMet)

Get the Definition of Contemporary Art (ThoughtCo.)

What is Contemporary Art and How Can We Define it Today? (Widewalls)

About Contemporary Art (The Getty Museum)

Modern vs. Contemporary Dance (Dance Magazine)

Planet Dance: Video About Contemporary Dance (The Place)

What is contemporary dance? (Vox)

What Is Contemporary Dance? (ThoughtCo.)

Artists mentioned in the episode:

Amy Sherald

Juel D. Lane

Kehinde Wile

Tami Katz-Freiman