Michael Eisemann
1980s Contemporary Still-life Prints
Lithograph
1980s Contemporary Mixed Media
Pastel, Mixed Media, Watercolor
1990s Contemporary Prints and Multiples
Lithograph
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Screens and Room Dividers
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Travertine
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Nickel
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Sofas
Velvet, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile, Wood
Mid-20th Century Belgian Dining Room Chairs
Wood
1970s Surrealist Still-life Prints
Lithograph
1970s Surrealist Figurative Prints
Lithograph
2010s American Sofas
Upholstery
Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Edo Paintings
Acrylic, Paper
1990s Contemporary Prints and Multiples
Lithograph
1970s Surrealist Portrait Prints
Lithograph
Vintage 1940s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Leather, Canvas, Wood
1970s Dada Portrait Prints
Lithograph
Mid-20th Century Expressionist Prints and Multiples
Lithograph
A Close Look at Contemporary Art
Used to refer to a time rather than an aesthetic, Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. This immediacy means it encompasses art responding to the present moment through diverse subjects, media and themes. Contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, video and more frequently includes work that is attempting to reshape current ideas about what art can be, from Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s use of candy to memorialize a lover he lost to AIDS-related complications to Jenny Holzer’s ongoing “Truisms,” a Conceptual series that sees provocative messages printed on billboards, T-shirts, benches and other public places that exist outside of formal exhibitions and the conventional “white cube” of galleries.
Contemporary art has been pushing the boundaries of creative expression for years. Its disruption of the traditional concepts of art are often aiming to engage viewers in complex questions about identity, society and culture. In the latter part of the 20th century, contemporary movements included Land art, in which artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer create large-scale, site-specific sculptures, installations and other works in soil and bodies of water; Sound art, with artists such as Christian Marclay and Susan Philipsz centering art on sonic experiences; and New Media art, in which mass media and digital culture inform the work of artists such as Nam June Paik and Rafaël Rozendaal.
The first decades of the 21st century have seen the growth of Contemporary African art, the revival of figurative painting, the emergence of street art and the rise of NFTs, unique digital artworks that are powered by blockchain technology.
Major Contemporary artists practicing now include Ai Weiwei, Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Kara Walker.
Find a collection of Contemporary prints, photography, paintings, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.
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