Plastic art is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of visual and three-dimensional fine art mediums. From small paper sculptures to large-scale public art installations, plastic art approaches artistic expression from a range of perspectives, making it one of the most versatile and fascinating forms of art today.
What Is Plastic Art?
The term “plastic art” encompasses a range of different artistic mediums, from drawings, engravings, and photographs to sculptures, installations, and performances. Put together, plastic art can be defined as the practice of creating art out of non-natural, man-made materials. Plastic art is often associated with modernism, because of the use of industrial materials like aluminum and plastic as a means of artistic expression.
History Of Plastic Art
The history of plastic art is closely connected to the development of new materials, tools, and techniques over the years. Evidence of plastic art can be found as early as the 15th century, when Italian craftsmen experimented with copper, bronze, and marble sculptures. Over the next few centuries, sculptors around the world discovered new possibilities with materials like clay, wax, plaster, and marble—all of which can be used to create interesting objects of art.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the colonization of the Americas opened up a whole new world of artistic possibilities. Native peoples across the continent were making sculptures out of plaster, clay, stone, and wood, often mixing natural and artificial materials to create unique works of art.
The advent of the industrial revolution in the 19th century brought about a disruptive new form of art: found objects. Objects of everyday life—like metal scraps, wood, and industrial detritus—were reshaped, reframed, or reassembled to become unusual artworks. This type of art belonged to a new genre, now known as “assemblage art” or “junkyard art.”
The early 20th century saw a return to the traditional fine arts, with the heyday of modernist sculpture in Europe. While some sculptors sought to devise new materials, others sought to explore their limits and use existing materials in new and inventive ways. Examples of this include the cubist sculptor Alexander Archipenko, who experimented with nontraditional materials and techniques in his sculptures.
Since then, the boundaries of plastic art have continued to expand. From Marcel Duchamp’s readymades to the postmodern sculptures of Robert Rauschenberg, plastic art has found its way into the canon of contemporary art. The advent of new technologies and materials, like LED lights and computer-generated images, have made plastic art even more diverse and remarkable.
Types Of Plastic Art
The definition of plastic art is somewhat broad and encompasses a wide array of artistic practices. The most common types of plastic art are:
Sculptures: This perhaps the oldest of all plastic art forms, sculptures are three-dimensional artworks created in metal, wood, clay, or any other material. A sculpture is often crafted by manually carving, chiseling, or joining materials together. Examples of famous sculptures include the Venus de Milo, Michelangelo’s David, and the Statue of Liberty.
Installations: Installations are artworks that occupy a physical space and often exist in the form of large-scale public art projects. With installations, the artist crafts not just a single object, but an entire environment that can be experienced by viewers. Some examples of installations include Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Running Fence, Michael Heizer’s Double Negative, and Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Gates.
Digital art: Digital art encompasses a range of digital artwork, including computer-generated images and mixed media that combine digital and physical elements. Unlike other branches of plastic art, digital art does not involve the manipulation of physical objects. Instead, the artist creates artworks using various digital tools, such as graphics software, audio and video editing software, or virtual reality software.
Assemblages: This type of art involves the manipulation of everyday objects—from furniture to found objects—and the creative rearrangement of them into odd or unusual artworks. These artworks often have a strong narrative component, which allows the viewed to explore new interpretations and meanings. Examples of assemblages include Duchamp’s Bicycle Wheel and Rauschenberg’s Monogram.
Performance art: Performance art is an art form that involves the artist’s body and presence in the act of creating art. Performance art often incorporates dramatic elements, such as music and dance, to create a unique experience that can’t be replicated in other forms. For example, Yves Klein’s Refinited Passions and Marina Abramovic’s Rhythm 0, in which the artist allowed the audience to interact with her and direct her actions.
Plastic art is an ever-evolving, multifaceted art form. Through the use of various materials, techniques, and tools, artists are able to create a range of artwork that is both visually exciting and conceptually stimulating. No matter what type of plastic art you encounter—whether it’s a sculpture, installation, digital art, assemblage, or performance—you’re sure to be intrigued by the novelty and depth of it.
