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
Clay, Acrylic, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Enamel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Resin, Latex, Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
PVC, Acrylic, Mulberry Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Pastel, Pencil, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Clay, Acrylic, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Pastel, Pencil, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Paint, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Photographic Paper, Color
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Color Pencil, Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Oil, Acrylic, Board, Magazine Paper
1990s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Monotype
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Glass, Film, Polymer
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Resin, Latex, Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Resin, Latex, Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Crayon, Ink, Mixed Media, Spray Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Color Pencil, Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Metal
1980s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media, Tempera
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wax, Encaustic, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Color Pencil, Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Oil, Acrylic, Board, Magazine Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Varnish, Oil, Silver Gelatin
1980s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Found Objects, Oil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wire
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Archival Pigment, Ink, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Board
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Varnish, Oil, Silver Gelatin
Artist Comments
Artist Yelitza Diaz exhibits a man climbing a carved wooden structure painted in green. She creates the nude form with resin and paints its body bronze for a ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Mixed Media, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Plexiglass, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
A woman in ornate period clothing wears a blindfold. Vibrant ribbons twist and swirl around her, contrasting with the neutral-toned background. Her heart, pro...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread, Wood, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Marble
Artist Comments
Artist Yelitza Diaz exhibits nude figures climbing minimalist geometric structures. She seeks to question the basic idea of minima...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Crayon, Wax Crayon, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Fabric
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Panel
Early 2000s Contemporary Mixed Media
Digital, Paint, Mixed Media
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
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Glass
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Varnish, Oil, Silver Gelatin
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Paper, Oil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread, Paper, Watercolor, Pencil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Gold, Silver, Brass
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Clay, Acrylic, Wood Panel
Artist Comments
Black and white rose petals unfurl amid splashes of gold in this acrylic and oil painting. Each stroke captures emotion, holding moments in the eternal beauty...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread, Paper, Watercolor, Pencil