Contemporary More Art
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 More Art
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Thread, Found Objects, Postcard
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Thread, Found Objects, Photographic Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Thread, Found Objects, Postcard
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Thread, Found Objects, Archival Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Paper, Ink
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Wool
2010s Contemporary More Art
Textile, Cotton
Artist Comments
A stack of glass plates rests on a white tablecloth. Soft shifts in light reveal the delicate details of the dishes, adding depth to the nearly monochromatic co...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
1990s Contemporary More Art
Etching, Color
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Wool
Artist Comments
Vibrant purple daisies and wildflowers bloom across a soft pink background. Their delicate stems and petals reach upward, swaying gently with the breeze. A sens...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Clay
1990s Contemporary More Art
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
An arrangement of organic and graphic forms creates an abstract composition. Artist Sally Morris Clark made the piece with a d...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary More Art
Fabric, Textile
2010s Contemporary More Art
Wood, Acrylic Polymer, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Ink
2010s Contemporary More Art
Acrylic, Board, Pencil, Color Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Wood, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Cotton, Paper, Archival Paper, Magazine Paper
Artist Comments
Inspired by the coyote’s clever nature and striking presence, this portrait aims to capture both its likeness and spirit. The textured background and fur emph...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Fabric, Thread, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Thread, Found Objects, Photographic Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Wood, Maple, Screen, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary More Art
Fabric, Textile
2010s Contemporary More Art
Archival Paper, Magazine Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Thread, Found Objects, Inkjet
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Wool
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Cotton, Thread
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Bronze
2010s Contemporary More Art
Archival Paper, Magazine Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Plastic, Paper, Acrylic Polymer, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil, Canvas
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Mylar, Ink, Graphite
Artist Comments
A vibrant still life depicts proteas bursting from a square vase and pansies blooming from two slender vases. Through the delicate interplay of pottery, flowers...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Photographic Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic, Wood, Mosaic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Plexiglass, Acrylic, Yarn
2010s Contemporary More Art
Thread, Organic Material, Archival Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Archival Paper, Magazine Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic, Clay, Glaze
Artist Comments
Crabs crawl out of a bowl beside a glass of white wine, sliced fruit, and a red ceramic jar. A dramatic illumination intensifies the contrast of light and shado...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A still life of fruits unfolds in classical style, where tiny butterflies and insects animate the quiet arrangement. A marble tabletop holds a variety of ripe p...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paste, Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paste, Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paste, Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paste, Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A single knob with a leaf connects three cherries. The fruits resemble three sisters whose braids are connected with one bow. Artist Art Tatin used the Flemis...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic, Wood, Mosaic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Screen
2010s Contemporary More Art
Archival Paper, Magazine Paper





