MCM is an American classic. It’s a timeless movement that doesn’t go out of style, whether it’s in interior design, architecture, or art.
Think of open floor plans and a seamless blend of indoor and outdoor living spaces. For artworks and pieces, you’ll appreciate the balance of geometric forms and brilliant colors when designing your home.
Art pieces made during such a time period are unique. And because they feel timeless, mid-century modern art and this particular style, in general, continue to gain appreciation today. It’s widely popular that you’ll find it in many homes and structures, layered over different interior design elements.
In this post, we’ll look at some of the most iconic mid-century artworks and pieces.
Hint: You’ve probably seen one of the most famous of them all!
What Is Mid-Century Modern Art?
Mid-century modern art refers to furniture and art décor from the mid-20th century following WWII. Several accounts trace this style back to the Bauhaus period (1919 to 1933). It rose to popularity for creating interiors, furniture, graphic and wall arts, architecture, and urban planning from 1945 to 1969.
You see the elements of mid-century modern art pieces through many structures and sculptures. And even in the form of artwork.
If you’ve gone to a big art exhibit, you’ve probably come across one. And while some people may simply gaze at an artwork without appreciating the motivation behind it, understanding the artist’s intention is important.
Jackson Pollock’s Energy Made Visible, for example, expresses a contradiction between emotional outbursts and his command of style, composition, and handling. He painted it for American art collector Peggy Guggenheim’s home—with the artist in motion.
This mural is an expressive fusion of public and private. The colors of life yellow, red, and green are mixed with the colors of death which are black. And there are many other types of mark-making, along with a few flicking and speckling here and there.
The bigger brushstrokes appear to breathe, release air, and revitalize. It seems to convey the very essence of mid-century modern: to live a fuss-free life.
Iconic Mid-Century Art
Something about mid-century contemporary art attracts a lot of people. The postwar period’s energy and flair, the haunting hues, the abstract expressionism, and all in between. All these qualities and attributes are alive in many art pieces we treasure today.
Here are some of the most iconic mid-century modern artworks!
Shot Sage Blue Marilyn by Andy Warhol (1964)
Mid-Century Modern lasted many decades, so there is a wide range of styles and creative trends in art and pop arts. American visual artist Andy Warhol created silkscreens of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe.
You’re probably familiar with the popular “Shot Marilyns.” Warhol painted these portraits of Marilyn with various colored backdrops. This includes red, orange, light blue, and sage blue. These portraits remain as outstanding masterpieces of silk-screening. And they are quite few and far between.
Campbell’s Soup Cans (1962) by Andy Warhol
Here’s another famous work by Andy Warhol. The Campbell’s Soup Cans is one of the most recognized contemporary artworks—it is symbolic of the Pop Art movement. This art piece depicts the consumerist lifestyle and mass media in American society.
The repetition of the silkscreen painting also shows Warhol’s signature style. It’s believed to be a reflection of his indictment of a consumerist society. As well as its never-ending cycle of production and consumption.
Untitled (1981) by Jean-Michel Basquiat
African American graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat sparked a stir in the art scene with his raw, spirited, edgy artworks. They seemed simple yet had a remarkable visual appeal focused on Neo-Expressionism and Primitivism.
Untitled is a colorful and energetic piece of art painted by Basquiat when he was only 20 years old. Art critics regard it as a sort of conundrum. He painted walls and doors to tie his artwork to his surroundings. The piece on display is a retrospective of what the artist refers to as his cut-and-paste sampling from his surroundings.
Due to the obvious form of the face, this intriguing composition is sometimes referred to as a skull. And it surely creates more confusion on whether it’s a skull or a half-formed face, or just a representation of life or death.
Composition VIII (1923) by Wassily Kandinsky
Painted by Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky, Composition VIII shows geometric rhythm. It reflects his fusion of Suprematism and Constructivism in Russia and the Bauhaus.
He followed some geometric ideas like overlapping flat planes and clearly defined shapes. But Kadinsky’s confidence in the emotive significance of abstract forms set him apart from those that advocated for more logical, systematizing ideas.
The vibrant, interacting geometric shapes in Composition VIII form a flowing canvas. It is both lively and calm. Strong and peaceful. This Suprematist painting has moving compositional elements like clouds, mountains, rainbow, and the sun.
Excavation (1950) by Willem de Kooning
Such an artwork epitomizes style—Willem de Kooning’s in particular. Completed in 1950, Excavation represents the unique approach of the Dutch-born artist. The painting shows expressive brushwork and a unique arrangement of space into sliding planes with loose contours.
What makes this painting so fascinating is the point of departure for the painting. It was inspired by an image of women farming in a rice field in the film Bitter Rice (1949).
In Excavation, you’ll see the dynamic structure of twisted calligraphic lines that identifies anatomical parts. This includes bird and fish figures, human noses, eyes, necks, teeth, and jaws. These figures appear to wander over the painted surface. And it shows de Kooning’s unique interplay between abstraction and figuration.
However, the painting’s original white pigment has yellowed with time. And this is slightly fading the bursts of red, yellow, blue, and pink. Imagine the vibrancy and vitality of the surface when it was fresh.
Blue I, II, III (1961) by Joan Miró
Blue I, II, III is a piece in three parts (called a triptych). The piece consists of abstract paintings in oil by Joan Miró, a well known modern artist from Spain. The paintings reveal the artist’s absolute confidence in creating and coloring his works. With his unmistakable style, Miró did experiment with codes that express the movement of things in an unusually clear manner.
A particular direction, for example, could be indicated by a thin line concluding in a dot or a pair of parenthesis. The latter symbol is used often as a type of containment to prevent energy from fleeing.
These three blue paintings must be considered as one. And when you look at them separately, nothing appears to be happening in each painting.
Miró put just a small number of specific symbols on the subdue surfaces in various shades of blue. The paintings show black dots with clear and blurred edges and thin lines flowing diagonally through the image. A few vivid reds serve as a contrast and partially as blurry spots and sturdy beams.
You don’t see these symbols all over the paintings. But a few presences of them in the painting is enough to allow the blue space to pulsate and vibrate. This transforms it into an unfathomable depth, causing your eyes to wander and finally get completely consumed by the blue surface’s boldness.
Bush (1973) by Harry Bertoia
The Bush form sculpture and all his sculptures are as unique as the sculptor himself. Harry Bertoia, an Italian-born American artist, sound art sculptor, and modern furniture designer, created this using painted bronze and copper.
It has very thick branches. And they encircle a large stem with a wavy surface. The buds are soldered to a copper stem and mounted on a circular base on the patinated bronze branches.
According to Celia Bertoia, his youngest daughter, Harry Bertoia once expressed how he was almost sorry to see a blossoming flower and knowing that it will perish in a few days. That’s presumably why he included a rare red vertical flower in the middle.
FAQs
What kind of art goes with mid-century modern?
Mid-Century Modern art objects are defined by sculptural works and a clean style. And while all mid-century arts and designs, such as pop art, are regarded as mid-century, the introduction of ideas like modernist, minimalist, and atomic adds the modern aspect.
What is the difference between art deco and mid-century modern?
Art deco is all about glamor, sophistication, and boldness. Mid-century modern design, on the other hand, is more minimalist, cleaner, and simply functional.
There are many of the same basic elements, such as geometric forms and great contrast in Art Deco. However, they are adorned with ornate themes influenced by technology instead of nature.
Although these elements of Art Deco and MCM vary greatly, both styles put an emphasis on beauty, form, and color. You can incorporate the two to create something beautiful and unique.
What are mid-century modern colors?
Color is an essential part of mid-century modern art.
In interior design, classic mid-century modern paint shades include orange, ochre, brown, and mustard yellow. The colors are earthy tones. They evoke the handmade, organic essence of post-WWII modern architecture, whether coupled with other colors or chosen for a clean, monochromatic aesthetic.
Many pieces in this aesthetic incorporate splashes of color as well. So it’s always a good idea to choose a color palette beforehand to prevent clashing.
Is it OK to mix mid-century modern with traditional?
For traditional spaces, you can use highly modern or mid-century modern lighting to offer an unexpected accent. Lighting allows for spectacular pairings of styles from several eras. A modern lamp placed on an old desk, for example, can form a striking mix.
You can also layer mid-century modern artworks over a vintage dresser. This will help blend the two styles.
