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
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Resin, Vinyl
2010s Contemporary More Art
Cotton, Yarn, Dye
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary More Art
Stone
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Resin, Vinyl
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Enamel
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Limestone
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Fabric, Thread, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Artist McGarren Flack captures a seated male figure. The subject's thoughtful pose and warm skin contrast with the contemporary cropping of a gray background....
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Wool, Yarn
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Plastic
Artist Comments
A nude woman reclines, bathed in soft light against a dark green backdrop. Subtle brushstrokes accentuate the contours of her body, creating a sense of depth ...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Concrete, Steel
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Digital
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic, Clay, Glaze
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Lithograph
1950s Contemporary More Art
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
1960s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic
1990s Contemporary More Art
Stoneware, Glaze
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Paper, Coffee
2010s Contemporary More Art
Varnish, Satin Paper, Screen
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Plastic
1990s Contemporary More Art
Organic Material
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Marble, Metal
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Contemporary More Art
Mixed Media, Permanent Marker, Lithograph, Offset, Board
1960s Contemporary More Art
Etching
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Video, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Lithograph
1970s Contemporary More Art
Paper
2010s Contemporary More Art
Resin
2010s Contemporary More Art
Clay
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
1950s Contemporary More Art
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Resin, Fiberglass, Polyester, Lacquer
2010s Contemporary More Art
Gesso, Plaster, Acrylic, Pigment
2010s Contemporary More Art
Metal
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Stone, Granite, Metal
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Thread, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Glass
1980s Contemporary More Art
Wool
1990s Contemporary More Art
Lithograph
2010s Contemporary More Art
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Cotton
2010s Contemporary More Art
Steel
2010s Contemporary More Art
Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Color
2010s Contemporary More Art
Resin, Vinyl
2010s Contemporary More Art
Organic Material
2010s Contemporary More Art
Paper, Canvas
2010s Contemporary More Art
Canvas, Color
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
2010s Contemporary More Art
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Fabric, Thread, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Vinyl, Plastic
2010s Contemporary More Art
Clay, Wood, Glaze
Artist Comments
This still-life oil painting vividly portrays three overripe pears featuring wrinkled stems and noticeable discoloration on their skins. With the light shinin...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Oil
1950s Contemporary More Art
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
2010s Contemporary More Art
Ceramic, Clay, Glaze