Arts through the decades: 90s edition

Arts through the decades: 90s edition

The 1990s marked a dawn of digital beginnings and a surge in diversity within the art scene.  Art shifted from the bold, expressive styles of the 1980s to more personal and conceptual forms.  Artists continued to explore growing global issues, personal identity, and the worrying impact of advancing technology.  

Visual Art

The Young British Artists (YBA) were a group of innovative and confrontational artists who clawed their way to fame in the early 1990s.  The group often used shock value, everyday materials, and their own personal experiences.  Notable members included Damien Hirst, known for famous works such as The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living and Tracey Emin, who was known for her deeply personal and confessional work.

As computers and the internet became more accessible and common, artists began experimenting with digital manipulation, video art, and virtual spaces.  These early experiments with websites and software as artistic mediums laid the foundation for future innovations in digital art trends.

In the 1990s, the public began to pay more attention to non-western artists.  Their work offered crucial perspectives on themes such as migration and colonisation.  Major global exhibitions like Documenta (held every five years in Germany) and the Venice Biennale (held annually in Italy since 1995) began showcasing a range of diverse artists’ work.

Music

Grunge music and alternative rock exploded out of Seattle, marked by gritty guitars, stripped-down production, and lyrics often disillusionment, anxiety, and alienation.  Notable bands included Nirvana, one of the best selling bands of all time, Pearl Jam, a major player in the grunge movement, and Alice in Chains, an American rock band.

In the early 1990s, rap became a globally dominant genre, influencing culture and fashion.  An intense rivalry between the East and West coasts of America shaped much of the decade’s rap scene.  Rap lyrics ranged from social injustice to party anthems that had provocative lyrics.  Iconic rappers of the 1990s include Snoop Dog, Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G, and Dr. Dre.

The late 1990s brought forward a wave of teen idols and bubblegum pop.  Pop became slicker and more choreographed, and MTV once again embraced the changing digital landscape.  Young artists dominated the charts.  Britney Spears debuted at 16 with “Baby One More Time,” while boy bands like NSYNC and Backstreet Boys featured members who ranged from 15 to 24.  Christina Aguilera also rose to fame at 18 years old with her hit “Genie in a Bottle”.  

Film & Theater

The 1990s witnessed a rise of independent filmmakers, often called Indie Auteurs, who brought fresh and unconventional story lines to the screen.  These films would typically have low budgets, non-linear narratives, and complex characters.  Notable names included Quentin Tarantino, who later directed 2019’s ‘Once upon a time in Hollywood’, Richard Linklater, whose visual work often depicted the passage of time, and The Coen Brothers, whose work spans over a variety of styles and genres. 

The 1990s delivered some of the biggest box office hits ever.  Hits included Titanic, (1997) which grossed over $2.2 billion worldwide, Jurassic Park, (1993) with around $1.05 billion, and Forrest Gump (1994), which earned approximately $678 million.  Furthermore, not only was the 1990s a decade of hits but also growing diversity.  Black filmmakers and international voices gained increased attention and notoriety, contributing to more diverse storytelling.  Female directors also began receiving more critical acclaim and recognition.

Theater continued to tackle serious themes and modern issues in the creative form of musicals.  Rent, a 1996 production, adressedLGBTQ+ life, poverty, and AIDS.  Playwrights explored trauma, gender, race, and identity in innovative ways.  Culturally diverse voices found their way onto western stages, mirroring post-colonial conversations and multicultural realities.  Theater companies also became more inclusive and diverse in their casting of actors, promoting greater representation.

Fashion

Inspired by the music, grunge fashion became popular for its messy, thrifted style, and rejection of glamour.  It rejected flashy, sophisticated trends in favour of realism and comfort.  Key elements of grunge style consisted of flannel shirts, ripped jeans, combat boots, and oversized sweaters.   

In the late 1990s, another style emerged that was inspired by music, ‘Princess Pop’.  This vibrant, playful trend was driven by pop icons like Britney Spears and The Spice Girls.  The style featured crop tops, platform shoes, mini backpacks, butterfly clips, and lots of glitter.   

In contrast to ‘Princess Pop’, darker aesthetics like gothic and alternative fashion gained popularity.  Once again, music played a key role, as fashion and music remained closely intertwined.  They wore dark clothes, fishnets, dark lipstick, leather, and black lace.  

The 1990s saw people further explore and flesh out their personal identities.  It was a decade where self-expression took center stage.  From indie films and politically charged theatre to music inspired grunge and innovative art, the decade welcomed a wave of new voices.