Arts through the decades: 70s edition

The 1970s were a thoughtful decade, ripe with disillusionment and introspection.  This was mirrored in the arts produced during the 1970s.  With growing distrust of authority and focus on personal identity, artists created work that was raw, emotionally inspiring, and often politically charged. 

Visual Art

One popular art style that emerged during the early 1970s was photorealism (hyperrealism), which focused on the realism of the art.  These nearly photographic artworks were typically created using traditional art media such as oil, acrylics, and pencil.  Photorealism was not only a display of beautiful, hard-earned skill but also a response against abstract and minimalist art.  Common subjects included cars, diners, shopfronts, people, and reflections.  Notable artists in this style include Richard Estes, known for his paintings of city streets, Audrey Flack, celebrated for her highly detailed painting of fruit and makeup, and Ralph Goings, whose artwork frequently depicted diners.

Although abstract has been around since the 1950s, it didn’t fade in the 1970s but instead,it evolved.  In the 1970s, abstract art shifted from bold emotional expressions to more intellectual and spiritual themes.  Through this unique style, artists explored color, repetition, and gesture in calmer, more meditative ways.   

Female artists began to use traditional materials like watercolor, textiles, and colored pencils to redefine ‘feminine’ art forms.  Female artists' work often challenged male-dominated norms by incorporating domestic or biological themes into their works such as flowers or the womb.  Many of the women who participated in this often blurred the line between craft and fine art. 

Music

Within the music industry, rock took center stage, giving rise to various sub-genres such as psychedelic rock, folk rock, and classic rock.  Rock music was often loud and rebellious.  Famous rock musicians and bands included  Led Zeppelin, an iconic rock band, The Police, an English band formed in London during the late 70s, and Pink Floyd, pioneers of progressive rock.  

Soul music was characterized by its fusion of gospel, rhythm, blues, and funk.  The 1970s marked a major change for soul music, as musicians began to experiment with sounds and styles.  Soul music thrived due to its range of talented artists who left distinctive marks on the genre.  Noteworthy soul artists included Aretha Franklin, often referred to as ‘Queen of Soul’, Marvin Gaye, whose music left an incredible mark on 70s music, and Stevie Wonder, a musical genius known for his innovation.    

Heavy metal is a sub-genre of rock known for its heavy guitar riffs, loud and aggressive vocals, and powerful rhythms.  The label ‘heavy metal’ was used to describe bands like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath, whose songs were intense and with darker lyrics.  However, it was Black Sabbath who laid the foundation for the music genre with their debut album ‘Black Sabbath’.  Their debut album featured distorted guitar riffs and dark lyrics that were groundbreaking at the time.    

Film & Theater

The 1970s is often referred to as the golden age of American cinema because of the New Hollywood Movement.  Following the themes introduced in the 60s, movies now featured antiheroes and morally ambiguous characters.  Films included dark and gritty scenes.  Film visionaries began to experiment with the camera work, editing, and even the storytelling.  Artistic boundaries were pushed as directors had more creative freedom than ever before.  Filmmakers who left their mark include Martin Scorsese, a major figure in New Hollywood, Francis Ford Coppola, a pioneer of the gangster film genre, and Steven Spielberg, a modern blockbuster innovator.

Theater in the 1970s reflected the decade’s social shifts, becoming more experimental and inclusive.  Productions created and performed by Off-Broadway groups began to rise in popularity.  More performances included marginalised voices, such as women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ communities.  Theater often confronted issues that mainstream media ignored, such as racism, feminism, and war.  A musical that remained popular in the 1970s was Hair, an American tribal-love musical.    

Fashion

Following the 60s, fashion continued to evolve, becoming more expressive, diverse, and most importantly rebellious.  Fashion became more than just looking pretty, it evolved into a form of self-expression and identity.  Mixing styles and experimenting were common.  In the early 70s, hippie style remained popular, with fringe vests, bell-bottoms, and floral prints.  In the mid-70s, disco fashion grew in popularity, with its glittery jumpsuits, dresses and its platformed shoes.  In the late 70s, punk fashion emerged with its rugged, rebellious style, ripped clothing, leather jackets, and tartan.  Furthermore, gender began to blur in fashion.  Flared trousers, opened shirts, and long hair became gender inclusive.  Music had a huge impact on the fashion of the 1970s!

The 1970s was a decade in which all forms of art embraced bold experimentation, allowing creative voices to speak loudly and proudly.  It was a time when artistic boundaries were stretched and redefined.