The mixed media art installations are a western modern art genre began in the 70’s. These installations are produced using various media types and techniques in a single art work to produce a unique, conceptual experience. It allows greater versatility and a richer viewer’s experience, owing to the numerous layers characteristic of the art. Famous mixed media artists of the Installation Art genre are Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, amongst others.
Assemblage art using 3-D compositions has become more popular. One particular popular piece by Robert Rauschenberg named Canyon, was made in 1959. Made from oil, house paints, papers, pencils, fabric and metal and also buttons and nails, cardboard and photos with wood including string on canvas and paint tubes, this is one piece of art that utilizes a little bit of everything assembled into one fantastic 3-D experience. Assemblage art as well as mixed media art are both creating a large comeback with brand new artists, and the ones wanting to be a little more environmentally friendly. With more people being mindful of the eco status of the world, it really makes sense that lots more people would turn to utilizing the fabrics of the modern days which are no longer being used.
Artists use a variety of techniques to make unique styles of installation art. This consists of the wide variety of materials and the media used. Material choices consist of the utilization of textiles, terracotta, cardboard, carpet, spray and oil paints, graphite, sculptures and discovered objects. Different media types, like computers, music and the world wide web are used properly to convey the meant message.
When it comes to mixed media, it is said that it’s very important to select the layers and their makeup carefully to ensure every layer has enough time to dry before the next is applied to retain the integrity of the piece. The effects accomplished by utilizing this art can be amazing, as found in a piece entitled Arc Angel by Jim McNitt. This particular mixed media art is made of oil, acrylic and pigmented inks on a canvas which used traditional oil painting techniques as well as new contemporary digital image editing software. Artists such as Christian Boltanski, Roberta Jenkins, Jane Frank, Mateo Romero and Annette Messager are all mixed media artists.
With the aid of the electronic age, digital mixed media art is becoming increasingly popular with artists. Such artists like Jason Mecier offer mixed media art that is centered on certain items, in his case, celebrities. Meceirs art is focused on making use of thrown away materials that the specific celebs have left, and he uses them together with panels or canvas as well as digital media in order to produce a likeness of the superstar. One particular piece is the one called Elvira, where he has captured the Mistress of the Dark using art pieces on a panel to create her likeness from the waist up. Beads, buttons, and lipsticks, lips with fangs: all items found within this exhilarating piece of transcendental likenesses. Inks, comics and makeup sold by the Mistress of the Dark are all incorporated into the piece to create a most unique and attractive mixed media art piece.
