The author considers the artistic culture of the twentieth century. in the light of the theoretical definition: the artistic direction is an invariant of the artistic concept of the world and personality. There are two channels of art development - realistic and avant-garde, in each of which their own directions arose. The interpretation of the most representative works of different types of art allows us to characterize intellectual, psychological, socialist, magical realism and directions within the avant-garde - symbolism, Art Nouveau, futurism, constructivism, cubism and other directions and styles. So, for example, the concept of hyperrealism: "a living system in a cruel and rude world," and happening - "a self-willed person in a chaotic world of random events," etc. For students, graduate students and university teachers, for all interested in the history and theory of culture.