Contemporary artists use lots of materials and techniques that didn’t exist before or weren’t widely available: digital tech (video installation, net art, projection mapping, augmented reality), 3D printing and CNC fabrication, new plastics and synthetic composites, and software-based image-making. Artists also exploit the internet—online galleries, net art, and live-streamed performances—and ephemeral/digital-only works (GIFs, AR overlays, blockchain-based pieces) that challenge preservation and authorship (conservation of new media is a real issue). Found-object/readymade and street art/graffiti expanded with spray-paint tech and large-scale wheatpaste methods, while projection/laser mapping lets artists transform architecture. These shifts tie directly to CED MPT-1.A (technology expands what counts as art) and the Unit 10 keywords like Electronic Superhighway and 3D printing. For a focused review, see the Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH). Practice with AP-style questions at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Digital tech transformed how artists make art by expanding materials, processes, and presentation. Artists now use video, net art, projection mapping, AR, and 3D printing instead of—or alongside—paint and stone (think Nam June Paik’s video installations/Electronic Superhighway). That changes authorship (collaboration, software), ephemerality (works that exist only online or as performances), and conservation challenges for museums. It also breaks hierarchies of materials and access: imagery and artist contexts are global and instant, but the digital divide affects who can participate (CED MPT-1.A.34–36, MPT-1.A.35). For the AP exam, be ready to explain how materials and techniques shape meaning and preservation choices (Topic 10.1). Review examples and key terms on the Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and practice with Fiveable’s practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Traditional art materials are things like oil paint, marble, bronze, wood, and woven fibers—materials with long craft histories, stable conservation needs, and clear hierarchies in art schools and museums. Contemporary art materials expand that toolkit: found objects/readymades, plastics, video, digital files, projection, AR/VR, 3D printing, graffiti, and ephemeral or disposable materials. The big differences are intent and effect: contemporary materials often question what “art” is, emphasize process, use technology (video/net art), or highlight temporality and accessibility (ephemeral street art, disposable culture). This challenges material hierarchies and raises conservation questions for museums (MPT-1.A in the CED). On the AP exam you may be asked to explain how materials shape meaning or presentation—practice describing specific materials and their conceptual impact. For a focused study, check the Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and try practice questions at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Short answer: video and performance art are "real" art because their primary materials are time, the moving image, the body, and technology—and the AP CED explicitly says contemporary art expands materials, challenges hierarchies, and provokes questions about what counts as art (MPT-1.A.34–35). Video uses cameras, screens, editing, and projection as techniques; performance uses the artist’s body, choreography, props, and audience interaction. Both can make formal choices (composition, pacing, staging) and carry contextual meaning (political, social, global). Documentation (video, photos, score) can be the preserved artwork or evidence of an ephemeral piece; conservation and presentation are important topics on the exam. If you need to study examples and how materials affect meaning for Topic 10.1, check the unit study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and practice with Fiveable’s AP Art History practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history) to get comfortable explaining materials/processes on the exam.

“Transcends traditional conceptions of art” means contemporary artists break the old rules about what counts as art—not just painting and sculpture in museums. They use new materials and tech (video, net art, 3D printing, found objects/readymades, projection, AR), make works that are ephemeral or performance-based, and question who decides value, skill, and display (MPT-1.A in the CED). That challenges hierarchies of materials, training, and presentation and expands who’s included in the art world (CUL-1.A). On the AP, be ready to explain how a material or technique shapes meaning (MPT-1.A.34–36) and give examples like Nam June Paik’s video installations or graffiti’s site-specificity. For review, see the Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and practice 1000+ questions at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

On the exam, ID each work with two accurate identifiers (title + artist or date/materials)—that scores you points right away. For Horn Players: say Horn Players, Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1983, acrylic and oilstick on canvas (or mention painted canvas/readymade influence). Visually: large, graffiti-like heads, text fragments, comic-strip energy, aggressive line and color—shows street-art/graffiti and challenge to material hierarchies (CED MPT-1.A.35, CUL-1.A.54). For Electronic Superhighway: say Electronic Superhighway (The) or Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Nam June Paik, 1995, mixed-media video installation with neon and television monitors. Visually: map of the U.S. outlined in neon with video clips on screens—recognizable as video installation/net art and use of digital technology (MPT-1.A.34–36). Practice writing quick identifiers + 1 visual + 1 contextual point for FRQs. Review this Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and drill AP practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Ephemeral art = works made to be temporary or short-lived (performances, site-specific installations, street art, pop-up digital pieces). It’s important in contemporary art because it shifts attention from durable materials to process, time, audience interaction, and context—exactly what Topic 10.1 asks you to explain (how materials/processes affect meaning). Ephemeral pieces challenge hierarchies of materials and presentation, provoke questions about what “counts” as art, and raise conservation issues for museums (think video, performance documentation, or fading street murals). On the AP exam, you can use ephemeral works to show MPT-1.A.35 ideas: how artists use nontraditional materials/processes and how preservation and digital documentation affect value and access. For more examples and exam-aligned notes, see the Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and practice 1,000+ questions at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Challenging white male dominance since the 1960s mattered because it changed who gets seen, taught, and valued in art—expanding the canon to include women, people of color, LGBTQ+ artists, and non-Western voices (CED CUL-1.A.54). Artists used new materials and strategies (video, performance, found objects) to question traditional hierarchies of medium, training, and presentation (MPT-1.A.35–36). Theoretical frameworks like feminist, deconstructionist, poststructuralist, and queer theory gave tools to critique claims of universal taste and reveal exclusionary histories. For the AP exam, this connects directly to contextual-analysis questions: expect to explain how materials/processes and social context shape meaning (Topic 10.1, Unit 10). Want to review examples and practice contextual essays? Check the Topic 10 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and use Fiveable’s practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history) to build your contextual-analysis skills.

Graffiti moved into museums and galleries because it forced questions about what counts as art (CED MPT-1.A.35) and artists, dealers, and institutions responded. Street artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat crossed from sidewalks to studios and collectors, galleries provided market validation, and museums started exhibiting murals and installations to reflect global contemporary practices (CED MPT-1.A.34, CUL-1.A.54). Curators reframed graffiti’s materials, processes, and public contexts as worthy of study, while conservation and presentation strategies adapted to ephemeral and found-material work. Acceptance also came from art-world demand—critics, collectors, biennials, and scholarship that placed graffiti within larger narratives of performance, activism, and digital amplification (keywords: street art/graffiti, ephemeral art, conservation of new media). For AP prep, focus on how materials/processes challenge hierarchies and affect meaning (MPT-1.A); review the Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history) to prep for contextual-analysis FRQs.

Feminist and queer theories in art history critique traditional, supposedly “universal” narratives that centered white, heterosexual men. Feminist theory asks how gender shapes who makes art, what materials are valued, and how women’s labor or domestic crafts (textiles, performance, craft) get marginalized. Queer theory questions fixed categories of gender and sexuality, highlighting fluid identities and how norms are enforced by institutions. In contemporary art these theories change materials, processes, and presentation: artists reclaim “low” or domestic media, use performance and bodies to contest norms, and create work that foregrounds marginalized identities and histories. They also reshape museum practices (exhibitions, provenance, interpretation) and expand audiences by pushing for inclusion and alternative display strategies. On the AP exam, you can use these theories in contextual analysis (CED: CUL-1.A, THR-1.A) to explain why materials or presentation are political. For a quick review, check the Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history) to apply examples.

Digital access changed art in two big ways: who sees and who makes art. First, artists use new digital materials and formats—video installations, net art, projection mapping, AR, and ephemeral online works—so “materials, processes, and techniques” now include software, pixels, and platforms (CED MPT-1.A.34–36). Second, audiences and researchers get instant imagery and context from online museums, galleries, and artist sites, which broadens global awareness but also raises questions about value, preservation, and the digital divide (MPT-1.A.35–36). For the AP exam, be ready to explain how digital tech changes presentation and meaning (Topic 10.1), and how access or lack of access shapes audiences and conservation issues. For a quick review, see the Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history) to practice linking visuals to context.

Faith Ringgold makes Dancing at the Louvre (1978) as a painted story-quilt: she paints figures and scenes with acrylics on canvas panels, then stitches them into a quilted fabric composition with sewn borders, appliqué-like details, and handwritten narrative text. That mix—painting + quilting + sewing + text—is a deliberate materials/process choice. By combining “fine art” painting with a traditionally domestic craft, Ringgold challenges hierarchies of materials and who gets to be represented in art (CED MPT-1.A.35). The technique foregrounds narrative and identity: bright, flat color and collage-like panels let her insert Black women into art-history spaces (the Louvre, Matisse references), critiquing exclusion and asserting feminist/Black subjectivity (CUL-1.A.54). For AP review, use this work to show how materials/processes shape meaning in Global Contemporary art (Topic 10.1). See the Topic 10.1 study guide for more (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Contemporary artists use disposable materials—plastic, packaging, street trash, cheap textiles, found objects/readymades—to reshape meaning and question value. Using throwaway stuff foregrounds consumer culture and waste, makes work more accessible (materials anyone recognizes), and challenges hierarchies about “noble” media (MPT-1.A.35). Artists might assemble single-use items into sculptures or installations to critique globalization, mass production, and environmental impact; others use ephemeral or degradable materials to emphasize temporality and performance (ties to ephemeral art and conservation issues). On the AP exam, expect questions asking how materials/processes shape meaning (multiple-choice and free-response: MPT-1.A). For deeper review, see the Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Traditional galleries present art physically: scale, texture, smell, and presence matter—you see surface details, materials, and three-dimensional works in real space. They control lighting, layout, and labels, so context and conservation practices shape how you read an artwork. Online museums deliver images, video, and metadata; they expand access (digital tech increases imagery and contextual info per the CED) and let you zoom, compare works across regions, watch performance/video pieces, or view time-based documentation of ephemeral work. That changes meaning: material qualities can be lost, but audiences gain global reach and layered interpretation (links to net art, video installation, AR in Topic 10.1). For the AP exam, be ready to discuss how presentation affects interpretation and preservation (MPT-1.A.34–36, MPT-1.A.35). For extra review, see the Topic 10.1 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH), the unit overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10), and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Contemporary artists challenge hierarchies of materials and artistic training to question who gets to define “art,” expand meaning, and reflect global, technological change. By using readymades, found objects, graffiti, video installation, performance, or digital and ephemeral media, artists break the old craft/ fine-art split and show that concept, context, and process matter as much as pedigree or traditional skill (CED MPT-1.A.35–36). This challenges exclusionary histories (CUL-1.A.54) and opens space for marginalized voices, nonacademic makers, and cultures with different material practices. It also forces museums, conservators, and the exam’s contextual analysis to consider preservation, presentation, and value for nontraditional works (net art, projection mapping, AR). For AP prep, be ready to explain how materials and techniques shape meaning and provoke questions about value—use Topic 10.1 study guide for examples and links (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-10/materials-techniques-global-contemporary-art/study-guide/7103I4ezlMv84sl5HuvH) and practice applying this with Fiveable’s practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).