This document discusses British art and artists in the late 20th century following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. It notes that British pop artists of the time like Tracy Emin and Damien Hirst rose to popularity in the 1990s, winning awards like the Turner Prize. The art of that era was described as being young, rebellious yet not too political, sexy, successful, and profitable. By the late 1990s, the era of these prominent British pop artists was coming to a close. The document encourages readers to look more deeply at modern art by considering its context, content, and social significance rather than just surface aesthetics.

1. BERLIN

2. UK – the last decade
What were our artists up to when the wall fell?
Brit pop
Brit popular politics
Brit art

3. Brit art what was it?
“Young, new, dynamic, cocky, cockney, rebellious
(but not too rebellious, not too political, or too
angry) sexy, successful, scandalous (in just the
way that attracts the media and draws the crowds)
and above all profitable and British”
John Molyneux - The Guardian

4. Popular and profitable and showing in galleries now!
Tracy Emin - 1997 Sensation Royal Academy

5. Damien Hirst – Turner Prize 1995

6. Antony Gormley - Turner Prize 1994

7. Marcus Harvey - 1997 Sensation Royal Academy

8. And then it was over!

9. Over!

10. Why talk about art anyway?
Not interested - think again

11. Aesthetic – always making judgements
How do we talk about art – especially the modern stuff?

12. Aesthetics
mood and feelings

13. Form and Balance

14. Colour – likes and dislikes

15. Process
and
techniques

16. where might we go?
• 2005 – post modern
• Reaction against
• Modern in the extreme
• beyond aesthetics

17. Its strength is in its concept, its reason,
and in the social context in which it is
made

19. look deeply
Read
context
content

20. Do we need to notice it?
There is art everywhere
• Wealth
• Lowest levels of unemployment
• National lottery funding
• Tate modern - highest visited
• Precious leisure time
• Media
• Visual – TV v Radio
• Home makeover
• Urban renewal

21. Still not interested - think again