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.
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Slate, Steel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Archival Paper, Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Graphite
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Archival Paper, Color, Etching, Intaglio
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Textile, Canvas, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Panel, Monoprint, Woodcut
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Giclée, Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Thread, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Masonite, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil Crayon, Mixed Media, Handmade Paper, Graphite
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Newsprint
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Artist Comments
"This piece was inspired by the ability of some individuals to survive and move successfully in difficult and unfair situations," says artist Yelitza Diaz. "They overcome every obstacle with success and enjoyment. Individualism as a way of life." The piece is a ceramic sculpture that has been finished in a way to look like bronze. Each Small Being...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread, Mixed Media, Wood Panel, Other Medium
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Gesso, Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Acrylic Polymer, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Giclée
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Pastel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Silk, Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Pastel, Pencil, Archival Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Giclée, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Synthetic Paper, Giclée
Early 2000s Contemporary Mixed Media
Ceramic, Mixed Media, Screen
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic, Pins, Thread
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Archival Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Enamel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Clay, Paint, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Bronze, Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Gesso, Paper, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Gouache
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Mixed Media, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Thread
1980s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Paper, Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Organic Material, Mixed Media, Encaustic, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
A brawny bison stands against a vibrant, dreamlike landscape. Layers of brown add warmth to its dark-toned fur, while vivid blue strokes around its eye give i...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Handmade Paper
Artist Comments
Two horses stand side by side, bathed in the glow of a full moon. Artist Jennifer Ross titled this piece after the expression, “I love you to the moon and back.†She used her signature eggshell collage technique combined with acrylic paint and paper to add texture and depth to the composition. By extending the artwork to the sides, Jennifer enhances its dimensionality.
About the Artist
Artist Jennifer Ross finds inspiration in gathering and replicating fragments of nature. "Birds, nests, eggs, and horses represent my realization that life embodies a tension between wanting security and the love of freedom," says Jennifer. Through her art, she aspires to convey a healing power inspired by the living world. Jennifer initially aspired to follow her mother and grandfather's artistic path but took a detour and began a decade-long career working in art galleries, selling the artwork of others, and doing framing design. Eventually, her creative soul persisted. She began experimenting with small pastel...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Paint, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Resin, Fiberglass, Plaster, Paint
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paint, Screen
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Latex, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Plexiglass, Ink, Gel Pen
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic