by Asya Mukhamedrakhimova
MKH digital plubication © 2025
by Asya Mkh
Category Art
Published December 3, 2024
It’s Time to Re-think My Views on Modern Art

Composition (No. 1), by Piet Mondrian

In my notes app, I made a to-do list to organise myself and my life and generally get into a more well-rounded and enjoyable routine. Among things like meditation every morning, eating healthier, and stopping online shopping whenever I’m bored, there was another point: having at least one experience that will bring me creative inspiration every week. Another point I made was to write a new story every week, so it works both ways.

There are no limits when looking for a new experience, but since I was short on time that week, I decided that a simple visit to a new gallery would suffice. I searched ‘cool galleries London’ in my TikTok, and one kept popping up: the Moco Museum of Modern Art. Since the museum has branches in Barcelona and Amsterdam, I was already familiar with the concept but I had never visited them. So I took a bus to White City and continued onto the central line, riding it to Marble Arch, where the museum stood.

Before continuing, I again feel compelled to mention that even though I understand museums are a business, I still think £20 is way too much to pay for a ticket. Nevertheless, I paid the price like a little bitch to capitalism I am and entered the freshly redecorated building.

When I took the first turn around the room and looked at the works of artists I have read so much about, I had no idea what my story would be. Nor was I particularly inspired. Then it hit me: a story can be born from that lack of inspiration. I have always had quite an odd relationship with modern art. As someone who studied and explored the more classical side of the art world, I favoured the colourful works of Renaissance artists in 15th-century Italy or the haunting beauty of French Romanticism. My undying love for the surrealist movement was the closest I got to modern art. But when it comes to Warhol and Basquiat, I often felt confused and thought that people trying to find deeper meaning in their work were just being pretentious.

Robbie Williams, Moco Museum of Modern Art, photo by Asya Mkh

I am always open to my mind being changed, so I decided to rethink my views on Modern Art in a place that stores the best of the movement. Art always moves with time, so modern art’s symbolism and simplicity are a reaction to a fast-moving world where issues must be addressed in increasingly quick and original ways. Whether it’s Yayoi Kusama’s use of bright colours and odd shapes or Chris Levine’s use of light, there are no limits apart from the limits the artists put on themselves.

Looking at the works of different artists also made me realise every pioneer of the modern art movement used unique features to set themselves apart. In the years of classical art, the distinction between artists could be found in their use of shapes or figures, but the more we moved into the new age, the more an artist could experiment and create a signature style. This distinction softened my approach to modern art. I couldn’t continue criticising a movement that presented such a wide range of work.

Another problem I always had with modern art was its constant attempts to stand out since, in doing so, it often parodied itself and became incoherent or unserious. Looking at Robbie Williams’s painting, which portrayed silly and relatable dialogues, I thought, maybe that’s the point. All art carries a deeper meaning, but that doesn’t mean the art itself must always be deep and serious. Looking at Richard Prince’s art, for example, I let out a little laugh. There are a lot of heavy paintings that bring serious thoughts. Those are the paintings I’m used to enjoying. But we also need to laugh a little in the current social climate. I don’t know why it didn’t come to me sooner; maybe I was too uptight to realise that art can be fun.

Marina Abramovic, Moco Museum of Modern Art, photo by Asya Mkh

Around the corner from the cheerful and uplifting art of Prince and Williams, I saw works of Banksy. You can’t talk about modern art without talking about Banksy, who used his art to send important messages about the social and political issues in the world. This brings me to one thing I respect about modern art today: it is often used to send a message, fight for the truth and remind people that even when you look at the beauty of colour and form, you shouldn’t forget about the world you live in. Art and activism have always gone hand in hand. A thousand words won’t move people as much as a single image can, so art often becomes political. Photographs by contemporary French street artist JR, for example, make you think about the gaps that must be bridged in our culture and society almost immediately.

Some modern art, specifically performance art, tries to reflect people onto themselves instead of reflecting the world onto the people. Sometimes, it’s to show true human cruelty and sometimes to help us become closer to ourselves. No one did better at all those things than Marina Abramovic. Her series ‘Transitory Object for Human Use’, partially displayed in the gallery, used seemingly simple objects to help people transition into a new state of consciousness. I have been a big fan of her work for a while now. When I used to speak about my confusion and dissatisfaction with performance art, she was always my one exception.

Daan van Hasselt, Moco Museum of Modern Art, photo by Asya Mkh

I also saw how familiar art styles can be reworked to fit a contemporary narrative. Miranda Makaroff’s femme surrealism work showed me that one of my favourite styles has evolved to portray modern subjects and issues. Since I love surrealism and am a feminist, I thought it was a great combination.

Finally, I went down to the museum’s lower floor to see how the rise of technology allowed art to transition from the paint and canvas to light and sound. Audiovisual experiences now dominate the creative space, allowing us to step outside our minds and experience art with all our senses. It’s a type of art where you do not need to think as much as you need to feel. Technological advancements gave artists the opportunity to combine their love for music, technology, and art and create multi-faceted experiences for audiences to enjoy and unpack. Now, art can consist of wires and computer frames. It can also consist of a live performance. It can be anything we want it to be and more.

If this story seems fragmented, it is only because my relationship with the subject remains fragmented. I began to understand and appreciate some parts of modern and contemporary art, some that I realised I always loved, and some that I just needed to change my perspective. But there are also other parts that I still don’t quite enjoy. Or maybe I just need more time with them. I admit that I fall in love with art deeper when I know its story, so perhaps I need to hear more stories.

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