What is Mixed Media Art?

Rocart Fine ArtMixed Media sculpture, Play Doh, sold at Christie's New York.

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In visual art, mixed media describes the artwork in which more than one medium or material has been employed. Assemblages, collages, and sculpture are three common examples of art using different media. Materials used to create mixed media art include, but are not limited to, paint, cloth, paper, wood, and found objects. Mixed media art is distinguished from multimedia art which combines visual art with non-visual elements, such as recorded sound, literature, drama, dance, motion graphics, music, or interactivity.

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What is the difference between mixed media and multi-media artworks? While both terms describe artworks that are made using a range of materials, multi-media is generally used to define an artwork that uses or includes a combination of electronic media, such as video, film, audio, and computers.

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The first modern artwork to be considered mixed media is Pablo Picasso’s 1912 collage Still Life with Chair Caning, which used paper, cloth, paint, and rope to create a pseudo-3D effect. The influence of movements like Cubism and Dada contributed to the mixed media’s growth in popularity throughout the 20th century with artists like Henri Matisse, Joseph Cornell, Jean Dubuffet, and Ellsworth Kelly adopting it. This led to further innovations like installations in the late 20th century. Mixed media continues to be a popular form for artists, with different forms like wet media and markings being explored.