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.
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Enamel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Crayon
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media
Late 20th Century Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Acrylic, Graphite
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Fabric, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Plaster, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Spray Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Photographic Paper, Pen, Color
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Gouache, Archival Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Bronze
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Archival Paper, Screen
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Coffee, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Gouache, Archival Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread, Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
1970s Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Watercolor
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Lucite, Paper, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Pastel, Pencil, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wire
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Gesso, Canvas, Thread, Resin, Paper, Pins, Drypoint
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Lucite, Pigment
Artist Comments
Three human figures stand separately on a square platform, evoking stability and timelessness. A rectangular block hovers above them. The white hexagonal base s...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A minimalist piece that embodies balance and contemplation through its geometric structure. A three-dimensional human figure energizes from a diamond frame, evo...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Two human figures stand separately on a platform, their hands touching. A rectangular block floats above them. The red hexagonal base reinforces visual harmony ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Glass, Film, Polymer
Artist Comments
Tall, slender trees line a stream. The interwining branches cut through the yellow-green foliage and blue sky, creating a mosaic effect. Dappled light graces th...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paint, Paper, Ink, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
For artist Darlene McElroy, a person's posture can reveal much about their attitude. In her mixed-media artwork, a woman in a white dress stands with her back...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Archival Paper
Early 2000s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Linen, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Oil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil, Acrylic, Giclée, Black and White
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Charcoal, Pastel, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Archival Paper
1970s Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Photographic Paper
Artist Comments
A tall green stalk with lush leaves and delicate flowers stands against a softly textured background. Intricate botanical diagrams and scribbled notes add bot...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Polyester, Acrylic, Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Paper, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Cotton, Thread, Sailcloth