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
Canvas, Plaster, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Varnish, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Photographic Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Enamel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Cotton, Thread, Sailcloth
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Plaster, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Acrylic, Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
1970s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Gesso, Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Tissue Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Paint, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Plaster, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Archival Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Dye, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Rag Paper, Color Pencil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Varnish, Archival Ink, Acrylic, Digital
Artist Comments
Artist Darlene McElroy demonstrates a portrait of a woman in elegant royal garments. "When you finally become comfortable in your own skin and feel complete, you have earned your wings," says Darlene. "There are no longer self-imposed restrictions on yourself." Darlene employs various materials to create dimension, texture, and multiple finishes for an engaging portrait.
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, portrait, feminine, people, text, mixed media...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil, Acrylic, Giclée, Black and White
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Fabric, Mixed Media
Early 2000s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wax, Encaustic, Wood Panel, Color Pencil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Plaster, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Textile, Wood, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Stone, Bronze
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Pencil
Artist Comments
This mixed media artwork presents a portrait of a woman, with her eyes concealed and adorned with collage and paint. The inclusion of three-dimensional object...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Lotus flowers bloom from a crescent moon. Their delicate pink petals and green leaves contrast with the textured background, evoking a sense of tranquility an...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Paint, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Photographic Paper, Pen, Color
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil Pastel, Archival Paper, Ballpoint Pen, Graphite
1970s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
1990s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal, Steel, Stainless Steel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Black and White, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Fabric, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Paper, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Textile, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Plexiglass, Oil, Acrylic, Board, Handmade Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Lucite, Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Digital, Lucite, Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Gesso, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Gouache, Archival Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Thread, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil, Acrylic, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Cotton, Thread, Sailcloth
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Archival Ink, Acrylic
Artist Comments
The artwork strikes a delicate balance between nature and abstraction. A central bleeding heart flower blooms against a textured background, weaving botanical...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Textile, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Acrylic Polymer, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Photographic Paper