Landscape may be something else that a gallery chooses to specialise in. This is all about how an artist interprets the visual world. The romantic period saw people venture out into landscapes that were once considered dangerous and not very interesting. Now artists wanted to capture the visceral beauty of landscape in all its glory. These paintings are still exceptionally popular.

People who are attracted to more modern forms of art may find landscape boring. These people prefer an edgier approach and contemporary practitioners are more than willing to provide it. Conceptual art in particular has made the headlines for being controversial. Animal body parts have been used in art, soiled bed sheets and other personal belongings of the artist have been put on public display.

Traditionalists are frequently enraged by such activities. Art critics will argue that this work is just about sensation and little else. They claim that this kind of work does not require much skill and talent, and that anyone could put it together. Contemporary artists have found novel ways of answering these arguments. They suggest that time will be the judge of their talent.

The popularity of contemporary art with an intrigued public seems to keep growing even if some people suggest that this kind of art will not last in the way that older forms have. They suggest it will not be enjoyed as much in future centuries. Smaller local galleries rarely feature this kind of art. Often they are interested in promoting local artists who can gain a strong local or regional following. Artists who paint aspects of an area that is frequented by tourists also tend to do well and galleries are keen to support their work. This art is sometimes scorned by elitist artists and art critics but it brings enjoyment to countless people.

Both sides of the world have produced amazingly gifted artists. In the Western hemisphere there are certain black men and women who paved the way for the African American artists of today. Horace Pippin is one of those men. After an injury in WWI, Pippin discovered his underlying talent for rich, historical painting. While he avoided the unpleasantness of life for a black man in the U.S. during that time period, he did produce black art paintings that spoke volumes to the viewer. His work was displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in 1938. A less known black artist that contributed to the black art movement in the United States is Walter Ellison. His most famous work is “Train Station” located in the Art Institute of Chicago. That painting is an honest look at the difficulties facing black families as they migrated north in the hope of a better future than the south could or would offer. These two exceptional black artists help give hope of recognition to the many gifted black artists that were to follow.

The scenario for artists from and living in Africa is different though. Despite the struggles with racial discrimination and inherent prejudice in the U.S., African artists are faced with even more difficult issues. Apartheid and censorship have long plagued this long suffering group of artists and painters. While expressing their views of the political unrest and unfair treatment, African artists have been subjected to severe punishment and censorship unheard of in the West. Thanks in part to the academic world’s growing interest in the work of the modern black artist, black art painting is receiving more attention and registering in the minds of museum curators and art galleries alike. Most of the credit belongs to the fortitude and artistic expression of the African artists themselves.