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
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Archival Paper, Pencil, Gouache
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Photographic Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Paint, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Charcoal, Pastel, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Archival Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Clay
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread, Paper, Watercolor, Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Enamel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Paint
Artist Comments
Every year, Melissa finds herself enchanted with the changing colors of the season. She created this piece as a tribute to the beauty of the autumn leaves. Sh...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Acrylic, Vinyl
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Glass, Film, Polymer
1980s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Plexiglass, Archival Pigment, LED Light
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil, Panel, Wood Panel, Archival Paper, Black and White, Archival Pigment
Artist Comments
Artist Yelitza Diaz creates an intriguing three-dimensional piece that incorporates a human figure sitting in a relaxed manner at the center of a wooden frame...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
This mixed-media artwork prominently features a cut-out moth set against a backdrop of decorative and musical elements. The blend of various media adds an int...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Oil, Acrylic, Wood Panel
Early 2000s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Adhesive, Tape, Board
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Lithograph
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic
1990s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic, Handmade Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Watercolor, Found Objects
Artist Comments
Artist Human Yelitza Diaz demonstrates two figures, one helping the other climb a green wooden structure. She creates the figures with resin and paints their ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Board
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Resin, Stretcher Bars
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Varnish, Archival Ink, Acrylic, Digital, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic, Permanent Marker
20th Century Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Paint, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Glue, Plastic, Wood, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Fiberglass, Plaster, Paint, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Stainless Steel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Paint
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Artist Yelitza Diaz presents a nude figure hanging from a wooden module. Part of her Climbers series depicting people ascending geometric wooden cutouts. Yelitza offers the piece with neutral colors and virgin wood for a minimalistic effect. Inspired by the moon, the carved circle overlaps with the base that interacts with each component.
About the Artist
Born in Venezuela, Yelitza Diaz;s life has been wrapped in the arts since childhood. She founded a gallery with her husband, who is also an artist, and was successful for many years until the crime and corruption in the local government became unbearable. They now live in South Carolina, where she makes art that explores human existentialism and the political and social developments of her native country. Her sculptures are made with ceramic techniques using a minimalist contemporary style. Fun fact: Yelitza designed the town seal for her native Municipio Falc;n in Venezuela.
Words that describe this painting: figurative, wall...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Gesso, Canvas, Yarn, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Crayon, Wax Crayon, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Darlene McElroy demonstrates an image of a mysterious woman from the victorian era bordered by an abstract background. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Textile, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Yelena Sidorova presents vibrant poppies in various stages of growth. "Red poppies, my favorite flower," says Yelena. The vivid glowing shades create a...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Burlap, Mixed Media, Panel, Handmade Paper, Pigment, Mica
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Gold, Silver, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Archival Paper, Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
Early 2000s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Resin, Acrylic, Canvas