Contemporary Mixed Media
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.
Artist Comments
Nude figures climb minimalist structures in bold shades of yellow and red. Artist Yelitza Diaz presents a conceptual piece representing the human journey of sp...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Artist Yelitza Diaz displays a modern sculpture of three bronze figures climbing geometric designs. The first figure clings to a circular cavity carved from a p...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Wool, Canvas, Thread, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Yelitza Diaz exhibits a metallic figure sitting on a bold white rectangle with another vertical rectangle directly above it. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Graphite
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Artist Yelitza Diaz displays a man taking careful steps on a black frame dangling from a concrete-like base. "The idea of the fragility of the human being has m...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Cotton, Thread, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Blending the minimalist and modern, artist Yelitza Diaz displays a sculpture of figures climbing the canvas. The three bronze beings appear in different stages ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil Pastel, Watercolor
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Glue
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Archival Ink, Wax, Oil, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Yelitza Diaz displays a modern piece of climbing figures in four minimalist panels painted in flat shades of white and blue. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Artist Yelitza Diaz displays a diptych with two central figures on each canvas. Yelitza draws circular patterns surrounding them to project the sensation of vol...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal, Bronze, Enamel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Adhesive, Spray Paint, Handmade Paper, Stencil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Plaster
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Adhesive, Acrylic, Vinyl
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Glue
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Marble
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Wax, Oil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Early 2000s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Ink
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Plexiglass
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal
Late 20th Century Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink
Artist Comments
Artist Darlene McElroy displays a contemporary portrait of a woman with her hair flowing in the wind. Bold patterns in vibrant colors establish her dynamic silhouette. "The winds of life moved her to new places and new experiences full of secrets," reveals Darlene. The unconventional materials create a sculptural and dimensional aspect.
About the Artist
Darlene McElroy sees creating art as similar to reading Turkish coffee grounds. A story becomes revealed as one looks at the surface, texture and color. Her works use a variety of materials ranging from acrylic paints to photo transfers and collage. She currently lives in New Mexico and has been greatly influenced by the work of Robert Rauschenberg. She encourages viewers to search for their narrative interpretation when viewing a work.
Words that describe this painting: woman, feminine, figurative, stylized, narrative, storytelling, flower, wind, face, eyes, portrait, mixed media, contemporary, small, profile, people, contemporary, mixed media artwork, beige
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Darlene McElroy
Acrylic paint and collage on masonite...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Darlene McElroy demonstrates a contemporary collage of vintage ephemera. She imposes the image of a lady with butterflies and paints a luscious apple han...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal, Wire
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Steel
Early 2000s Contemporary Mixed Media
Concrete, Bronze, Gold
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Pastel, Pencil, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Iron
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Silk, Acrylic, Etching
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Cotton, Thread, Sailcloth
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Cotton, Thread, Sailcloth
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Acrylic, Vinyl
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Plexiglass, Wood, Paint, Paper, Acrylic, Pins
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Watercolor, Carbon Pencil