New approaches in contemporary Western Art

Contemporary Art encompasses the art practices and art movements produced in the period immediately following modern art and extending to the present day. It draws attention as a process dominated by avant-garde and experimental approaches that changed the definition and scope of art, especially after the 1960s. These experimental approaches, which are fed by Modern Art and sometimes reject modern art, have formed the basic structure of contemporary art. Contemporary art movements, especially those orientated towards concepts, have perpetuated new searches with unlimited use of materials and interdisciplinary approaches, and expanded the expressive possibilities of art. Contemporary artists have emphasised the concept of freedom of art by exhibiting creative new approaches within the limitlessness of technique and material. This study draws attention to the new approaches seen in the works and practices produced within the scope of Contemporary Art after 1960. Within the scope of the limitations of the study, Pop Art, Conceptual Art, Minimalism, Photo-Realism, New Realism, Land Art, New Expressionism, Postmodernism and new approaches seen in New Media Art are emphasised. In this study, observation and written document analysis from qualitative research methods were used. In this research, it has been observed that contemporary art knows no boundaries in the use of materials and techniques and emphasises interdisciplinary approaches; especially with the spread of digital technologies, the boundaries of art have expanded and its definition and scope have become vague. It is foreseen that artists are increasingly exhibiting new approaches, that new approaches will exist in the future even if materials and techniques change, and that the close relationship with science and technology will continue to increase.