8.6: Conclusion
The Evolution of Art
When we talk about art in the millennium, we discuss a diverse collection of human activity worldwide. Imagination and creativity do not change; what changes are the conceptual ideas of the times. The millennial architecture demonstrates that "if you can dream it, we can build it" assertiveness. With the advent of CAD, laser scanning topography, and new materials, the sky is the limit and not the imagination of architects. The evolution of materials is taking architecture to new limits of design. We have seen an emergence of art from Africa, and it is outstanding. Usually left out of textbooks, African art when during the 1980s, most countries were independent of foreign government controls, and new political changes also released artists from the constrictive rules of Western art. With modern media and travel, artists have embraced globalization. Fresh and contemporary art styles continue to be developed across African countries. Installation art is based on multiple earlier movements, including the reuse and small installations of Dada or Performance Art creatively using and interpreting space, even conceptual art and the focus on the ideas over the aesthetic. Contemporary figurative art has become an essential form in the twenty-first century; each artist brings different styles and mediums to create unique images. Figuration has moved from the predominately white male artist to include females and artists of color, bringing different narratives to their artwork. Contemporary figurative artists are now mixing the image of the human figure with other types of abstraction or narratives.
Art has changed in the new millennium and has opened the door for the future.