Modern British Art

Modern art represents an evolving set of ideas among a number of artists who sought new approaches to creating art. Although Modern Art began with the arrival of Realism around 1850, approaches and styles of art were defined and redefined throughout the 20th century, with practitioners of each new style being determined to develop a visual language that was both original and representative of their times.

While a plethora of different styles that exist under the term ‘Modernist’, we have highlighted some underlying principles to look out for when defining Modernist Art: a rejection of conventional realism; innovation with the form with a tendency towards abstracted lines, shapes and colours; and an emphasis on materials, techniques and processes.

Modernism has also been driven by various social and political movements. These were often utopian, and Modernism was in general associated with ideal visions of human life and society and a belief in progress.

Shapero Modern maintains a stock of superb 20^th-century British Art, showcasing British Pop Art from the 1960s with silkscreens by Richard Hamilton, David Hockney, Joe Tilson, Peter Blake and Patrick Caulfield. To read our blog about British Pop Art, please click here.

Britain’s Post-War Abstract Artists are represented at Shapero Modern by Barbara Hepworth and Antony Gormley, whilst Bridget Riley represents a key part of British Op art at the end of the 20^th century. To read more about this, click here.

Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin dominate the 1990s scene as front-running members of the much-talked-about YBAs. Joining our collection of contemporary artists, David Shrigley’s satirical screen-prints and Grayson Perry’s historical-referencing etchings bring our collection right up to the present day.