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, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Color Pencil, Digital, Monotype
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Wire
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Ink, Tempera
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Thread, Paper, Tissue Paper
Artist Comments
A woman sits relaxed with a contemplative gaze. The cool blues and greens around her warm-toned figure, combined with strong contrasts of light and dark, crea...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media, Color Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Color Pencil, Pigment
Artist Comments
Artist Jennifer Ross depicts a white horse with a stunning display of autumn colors in the background. She references the piece after a poem by Richard Wilber about wading through a fall meadow. Jennifer composes the equine portrait using her Kintsugi eggshell technique, a Japanese art form of repairing broken objects with gold lacquer. The white shell fragments form a striking image of the majestic creature, highlighted with a few touches of metallic gold to catch the light.
About the Artist
Artist Jennifer Ross creates intimate portraits of birds, nests and horses. Jennifer grew up surrounded by the art of her mother and grandfather. Her attempt to follow in their footsteps presented detours, however, and she ended up working in art galleries selling other's work. But her desire to paint continued to grow throughout the years. In 2008, a gift certificate...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Watercolor, Powder Coating
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Wood Panel, Photographic Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Found Objects, Acrylic, Mica
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Ink, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Color Pencil, Pigment
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, House Paint, Acrylic, Cardboard
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Board
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Varnish, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Textile, Paint, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Spray Paint, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel, Graphite
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Found Objects, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Permanent Marker, Aquatint
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
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
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Pastel, Watercolor, Pencil, Color Pencil
Artist Comments
A woman and her orange cat rest peacefully under a starry night sky. The vibrant palette evokes a magical atmosphere in the scene. Artist Yelena Sidorova made...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
India Ink, Watercolor, Gouache, Archival Paper
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Plexiglass, Oil, Screen
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Oil Crayon, Oil
1960s Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Ink, Rag Paper, Intaglio, Monoprint, Other Medium
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
Artist Comments
Symbolic imagery surrounds a poised woman, exploring themes of memory and identity. Photographs adorn her black dress, while birds and botanical elements brin...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Acrylic Polymer, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Film, Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Color, Digital, Giclée
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Pastel, Pencil, Archival Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Nylon, Paint, Acrylic Polymer
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Nylon, Paint, Acrylic Polymer
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Gold Leaf
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Plexiglass, Ink, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Pencil
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Paper, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mirror, Wood, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Jennifer Ross captures a moment of quiet connection with her signature eggshell collage technique. A horse stands peacefully still as a delicate bird flu...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Mixed Media
Wire
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Wood, Mixed Media, Latex, Acrylic, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Color Pencil, Pigment





