Among the wide variety of modern art styles, eerie imagery is gaining momentum thanks to its unusual approach to creative expression. The so-called liminal spaces may take the form of an empty shopping mall corridor lit by fluorescent lights or a deserted motel pool at dusk. The term “liminal space” originates from anthropology, where it describes a transitional state between two conditions or stages of being. Today, the concept has been widely adopted by internet culture, evolving into a distinctive visual aesthetic that continues to influence contemporary art.

Emergence of Liminal Spaces as an Art Style

This niche among modern art styles began to crystallize in the mid-2010s, when internet users started sharing images of unsettling, half-familiar places, often accompanied by somber ambient music. These visuals drew inspiration from the décor and iconography of the late 20th century, appealing especially to people who grew up in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The effect of liminal spaces is a unique form of emotional discomfort. It often creates a sense of nostalgia without being connected to any specific memory. Writer John Koenig coined the term kenopsia to describe the feeling of exploring a place that is usually full of people but now appears strangely empty and abandoned.

Although liminal spaces are a relatively recent phenomenon in contemporary art, their visual language has much deeper roots. Art historians often cite Edward Hopper’s 1942 painting Morning in a City as a clear predecessor of modern liminal art. Many of Hopper’s works explored the quiet isolation of American life, portraying empty streets, hotel rooms, and urban interiors as ordinary yet strangely motionless places.

Liminal Spaces Among Contemporary Art Styles

The atmosphere of liminality has become increasingly popular among contemporary painters, photographers, and graphic artists. A vivid example is Gregory Crewdson, whose elaborately staged, cinematic photographs evoke the unsettling mood of abandoned American neighborhoods. Crewdson frequently works with twilight, describing it as a transformative moment that turns familiar places into mysterious, almost dreamlike settings.

Contemporary painters also embrace the liminal aesthetic. For example, Ferdinanda Florence focuses on industrial and commercial architecture to depict socially liminal spaces that exist between the public and private spheres of everyday life. Another notable artist is Sampy Sicada, a British-Hong Kong creative who expands the boundaries of traditional art through psychologically charged images that explore transitional states and emotional ambiguity.

Taken together, contemporary works centered on liminality share a common idea: transforming ordinary places by removing the people who usually inhabit them. The result is a quiet yet unsettling atmosphere that leaves a lasting emotional impression. As one of the most distinctive emerging art styles, liminal art reminds us that powerful artistic experiences do not always rely on beauty—they often arise from mystery, absence, and the unfamiliar.